American Community Mutual Insurance Company has introduced two new consumer-choice health insurance plans for employer groups, families and individuals in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska. The new plans are designed to make health insurance more affordable, especially for small employer groups that may not be able to afford traditional coverage, the self-employed, and those not in employee-sponsored group plans, such as young adults who may no longer be eligible under a parent’s coverage.

The Next Generation HSAâ„¢ and Triple Tier PPOâ„¢ are low-cost PPO (preferred provider) health plans that take a creative approach to risk- and cost-sharing to reduce premiums, while assuring financial protection against catastrophic hospital and medical costs. The plans were introduced earlier this year in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. Both plans include an industry-leading assortment of self-directed care management tools to help insureds stay healthy, make more informed use of health services, and receive access to health experts 24-hours a day.

The Next Generation HSA is a qualified high-deductible health insurance plan with unique features. These types of plans typically allow the insured to pay deductibles and co-payments from a tax-free Health Savings Account, but American Community adds three innovations, according to Gerald Meach, President and CEO.

First, it offers multiple payment-sharing options to help people select coverage to best fit their needs. Second, the family plan offers the option of a separate, lower deductible for individuals, letting them begin benefits earlier. Third, the deductible is waived for the first 30 days of care after an accident. “This best-in-class benefit saves members from being hit hard with unexpected expenses,” said Meach.

The Triple Tier PPOâ„¢ plan offers lower premiums by providing different benefit levels based on type of care. “The plan provides higher benefits for hospitalizations, emergency care and injuries, the most serious and costly treatments, with lesser benefits for outpatient, non-emergency care where the policyholder can take the time to evaluate, with our assistance, alternatives that can be more cost effective,” he explained.

Both the Next Generation HSA and Triple Tier PPO allow choice of doctors and healthcare providers, with highest benefits for insureds who use preferred providers recognized by American Community.

The company’s new plans offer a TelaDoc physician phone line, 24-hour nurse line, treatment cost calculator, web-based medical library, personal health & symptom evaluation tool, prescription drug pricing and research info, hospital cost comparisons, and health helper tips.

American Community is licensed in 38 states and has embarked on an aggressive program of geographic growth and coverage innovations to help keep health care affordable, according to Meach. The company plans to launch two new consumer-choice products in early 2007.

With beginnings dating back to 1938, American Community is one of the nation’s oldest health insurance companies. Today it markets coverage in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Arizona through more than 6,000 independent insurance agents.

For more information about these new products, visit www.american-community.com.

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