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LewisGale Regional Health System Signs New Agreement with Humana Ends Medicare Advantage exclusivity agreement between Humana and Carilion Clinic

December 22, 2011

Salem, VA, October 14, 2011 – LewisGale Regional Health System (LGRHS) announced today that it has reached a new provider agreement with Humana. The agreement gives Humana’s Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollees full access to all LewisGale facilities and physicians. Humana’s MA product currently enrolls just under 6,000 lives in Southwest Virginia.

The new provider agreement covers inpatient, outpatient, and primary care services at all four hospitals—LewisGale Medical Center, LewisGale Hospital Montgomery, LewisGale Hospital Pulaski, and LewisGale Hospital Alleghany as well as eight outpatient centers and 135 employed physicians. The new agreement also gives all LewisGale affiliated independent physicians an opportunity to participate in the plan.

According to Victor Giovanetti, President, LewisGale Regional Health System, Southwest Virginia patients now have more options when choosing a health care provider and better access to care due to the health system’s extensive scope of services and wide reach. LGRHS currently serves patients in 25 counties.

“We are very pleased to become part of this plan, with Humana being among the largest in the country,” said Giovanetti. “Our integrated healthcare system is recognized locally and nationally for providing exceptional care. An increasing number of people want to have access to our physicians and hospitals, and this new agreement makes it possible.”

“This news is clearly an endorsement of our outstanding employees and physicians—those we employ as well as the more than 500 independent physicians who are part of our healthcare network,” added Giovanetti.”

“Adding a well-coordinated health system like LewisGale to our network gives our members access to one of the Commonwealth’s leading health systems,” said Humana Senior Products Vice President Neil Steffens. “We’re committed to helping our members achieve lifelong well-being, and access to LewisGale’s network of hospitals, doctors and outpatient centers is a key part of that effort.”

While LewisGale Regional Health System already participated in other plans offered by the insurance company, effective January 1, 2012, Humana’s Medicare Advantage product will now cover care at all LewisGale facilities.

LewisGale Regional Health System has been highly rated by the nation’s leading health reports, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid and Healthgrades®. The Joint Commission’s recently ranked LGRHS hospitals among the top 14 percent in the nation for important measures of care, including heart attack, stroke, pneumonia, and surgical care. For more information, log onto www.lewisgale.com.

About LewisGale Regional Health System
LewisGale Regional Health System includes 38 HCA-owned patient care facilities including 4 hospitals, 2 regional cancer centers, 6 outpatient centers and affiliations with nearly 700 physicians, including 135 employed providers and 550 independent physicians. With more than 3,300 employees, its annual payroll is $219.5 million. The system also paid $28.4 million in taxes and provided more than $73.5 million in uncompensated care to those most in need in 2009 alone. LewisGale is also part of HCA Virginia, the largest and most comprehensive healthcare provider in the Commonwealth with more than 13,000 employees.

About Humana
Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is a leading health care company that offers a wide range of insurance products and health and wellness services that incorporate an integrated approach to lifelong well-being. By leveraging the strengths of its core businesses, Humana believes it can better explore opportunities for existing and emerging adjacencies in health care that can further enhance wellness opportunities for the millions of people across the nation with whom the company has relationships.

More information regarding Humana is available at www.humana.com.