FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 15, 2008
Network Health Appoints Director of Contracting
(Medford, Mass.) — Network Health announced today the appointment of Steven Kostos as director of contracting. Kostos will lead Network Health’s efforts to expand and enhance network relationships to ensure member access to care. He will also oversee provider contracting efforts with all hospitals, physicians, community health centers, behavioral health providers, and ancillary providers.
“Steve joins Network Health with more than a decade of health care contracting experience,” said Paul Burke, senior director of network management for Network Health. “He brings strong leadership, innovative contracting approaches, and a passion for creating a strong provider base for Network Health members in order to give them the highest quality of health care possible.”
Kostos previously served as a director of provider contracting at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA), where he worked on the development and execution of global contracting strategies and ensured implementation of new contracting initiatives.
Prior to joining BCBSMA, Kostos served as manager of provider contracting for Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (HPHC). In this role, he was responsible for strategic contract development and successful negotiation of HPHC’s Massachusetts network, which spanned more than 60 hospitals and several thousand physicians.
Kostos earned a Master of Education from Suffolk University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Salem State College.
About Network Health
Since 1997, Network Health has provided access to high-quality health care to low- and moderate-income residents of Massachusetts. Based in Medford, Mass., Network Health is a comprehensive health plan serving members through its Network Health Together™ (MassHealth) and Network Health Forward™ (Commonwealth Care) plans.
Network Health provides its Together members with all the benefits of MassHealth, plus additional free and discounted benefits. Network Health’s Commonwealth Care plan extends access to affordable health care for qualified Massachusetts residents 19 years or older who earn at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty level, or up to approximately $31,000 a year for an individual (up to approximately $63,000 a year for a family of four). In addition to core health care benefits, Network Health offers its Forward members extra benefits designed to encourage wellness.
Network Health is nationally recognized for its integrated model of care, which provides a team of in-house medical, mental health, social service, and pharmacy professionals to coordinate the care of members with complex health needs and address their non-medical barriers to care. In its efforts to improve the health and well-being of its members and their diverse communities, Network Health partners with a growing network of more than 15,000 primary care providers, specialists, hospitals, and community organizations to serve members in more than 300 cities and towns across Massachusetts.
Individuals must be eligible for MassHealth to join Network Health Together, a MassHealth plan. To learn about MassHealth eligibility, Massachusetts residents can contact the MassHealth Enrollment Center at 888-665-9993 (TTY: 888-665-9997), Monday through Friday, 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Once enrolled, MassHealth members can learn about their MassHealth health plan options by calling the MassHealth Customer Service Center at 800-841-2900 (TTY: 800-497-4648), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
To learn about Commonwealth Care health plan options, call the Commonwealth Care Customer Service Center at 877-MA-ENROLL or 877-623-6765 (TTY: 877-623-7773), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Or visit www.mahealthconnector.org.
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