Worcester, Mass., September 5, 2007―Fallon Community Health Plan (FCHP) announced today that it has received approval from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to open a third Summit ElderCare facility in Leominster, Mass. The newly-constructed 12,390-square-foot facility is located at 55 Cinema Boulevard and will accommodate over 200 participants and more than 50 employees when operating at capacity, including physicians, nurses, health aides, social workers, activities directors and administrative staff.
“Fallon Community Health Plan has always had a strong presence in northern Worcester County and we are excited to be able to bring our Summit ElderCare program to this area,” said Eric H. Schultz, President and CEO, Fallon Community Health Plan. “As a comprehensive health care services company, FCHP is dedicated to offer services in those areas where we see a need, and Summit ElderCare is a wonderful program that helps to enrich the lives of seniors and their caregivers in the community. This expansion speaks directly to
our long-standing commitment to evolve into a premier health care services organization in New England.”
Summit ElderCare has served residents of northern Worcester County for over 12 years, and now the program is even more accessible with this new facility. “The opening of this new facility is wonderful news for Leominster and the entire region,” said Karen J. Longo, Executive Director of Summit ElderCare. “Many participants, when learning about Summit ElderCare for the first time, say that it is ‘too good to be true.’ We know what kind of an impact we have made in the lives of our participants, and especially their caregivers throughout the years. We are truly excited about our new center and look forward to becoming a valued partner in the community.”
Sponsored by Fallon Community Health Plan, Summit ElderCare is a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)—the only one of its kind in Central Massachusetts and one of six in Massachusetts. The program is an insurance, medical care and social support system in one convenient package which includes prescription drugs, medical care, support services in the home, medical transportation, and adult day health services to address the complex health needs of adults aged 55 and older who wish to avoid a nursing home placement.
“The unique aspect that makes Summit ElderCare successful is the interdisciplinary team that brings their multiple disciplines and specialties to the goal of providing coordinated care to participants and their caregivers. Every aspect of geriatric care is included in the care planning for each participant,” noted David A. Wilner, M.D., Medical Director for Summit ElderCare. “And, we do our best to ensure that caregivers have adequate support systems in place so that the participant can continue to live at home. Summit ElderCare is a wonderful and viable alternative to a nursing home placement.”
Summit ElderCare has appointed Ashraf F. Elkerm, M.D., as primary care physician. Melvina M. Hutchins, R.N., a Leominster resident, has been named Site Director and will have overall responsibilities for managing the new Leominster facility.
“Our elders have so much to offer our communities,” said Leominster Mayor Dean J. Mazzarella. “Summit ElderCare provides vital services that allow elders to stay at home with their families here in Leominster and the surrounding towns, where they belong.”
About Summit ElderCareSM
Summit ElderCare is an insurance, medical care and social support system all in one convenient package that includes: home care, personal care and even prescription drugs, when approved. Summit ElderCare is one of approximately 40 Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) in the country, and the only one in Worcester County. For over a decade, Summit ElderCare, sponsored by Fallon Community Health Plan, has served the needs of elders and their caregivers in Worcester County, Marlborough and Hudson at its locations in Worcester and Charlton.
About FCHP
Founded in 1977, Fallon Community Health Plan provides health care services designed to meet the unique and changing needs of all we serve. FCHP is the only health plan in Massachusetts that is both an insurer and provider of care. Our product portfolio includes a variety of group and individual health plan options (HMO, POS, PPO, Medicaid and Medicare Advantage plans) featuring flexible and innovative benefit designs. We administer fully-insured and self-insured funding arrangements with customized services for employers. Our uniquely developed provider networks offer high-quality, cost-effective, coordinated care and give our members access to doctors and hospitals throughout Massachusetts. We also offer a broad spectrum of services and programs to ensure our members, at every stage of life, remain as healthy and productive as possible. FCHP is a provider of care through its Summit ElderCareSM program, an advanced and completely integrated program that offers seniors and their caregivers an alternative to nursing home placement. Our continued commitment to deliver high-quality health care and exceptional customer service has earned FCHP consistent ratings as one of the nation’s top health plans. And, FCHP is the only health plan in Massachusetts to have been awarded "Excellent" Accreditation by the National Committee for Quality Assurance for our HMO, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid products.