Highmark Medicare Services Awarded New Contract from Centers for Medicare & Medicai...( New contract expec...),Health

New contract expected to add 300 jobs

PITTSBURGH, Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has selected Highmark Medicare Services Inc. as the new Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) for handling both Medicare Part A and Part B fee-for-service claims and other administrative activities in four states and the District of Columbia. Highmark Medicare Services will process Medicare fee-for-services claims from hospitals and other institutional providers, physicians, and health care practitioners in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.

"This is a very important day in the history of Highmark Medicare Services," said Patrick Kiley, President of Highmark Medicare Services. "Since major changes were announced in the Medicare Program several years ago, many staff have put in countless hours focused on positioning the company for this contract. All of our employees have been making sure the day-to-day operations continue to run smoothly. I believe this a real win for not only Highmark Medicare Services, but also the many Medicare beneficiaries we will serve."

Highmark Medicare Services currently administers the Medicare Part A contract for Pennsylvania, Maryland, and the District of Columbia and the Medicare Part B contract for Pennsylvania. In fiscal year 2006, Highmark Medicare Services processed approximately 48.8 million claims and served approximately 2.3 million beneficiaries and 57,000 providers.

As the MAC for Jurisdiction 12, Highmark Medicare Services is expected to process approximately 131 million claims annually, accounting for more than 11 percent of the national Medicare fee-for-service workload.

Highmark Medicare Services will continue to maintain offices in Camp Hill, Pittsburgh, Williamsport, and Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, and in Timonium, Maryland.

Highmark Medicare Services has approximately 650 employees. Kiley said
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