‘How to Navigate Your Health Plan’ Empowers Latinos.

PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. introduced How to Navigate Your Health Plan (Como Navegar Su Plan de Salud), a new online English/Spanish tutorial designed to help Latinos gain a better understanding of the health care system and how to utilize and access health plan services.

Available to PacifiCare’s Latino members and the Latino community nationwide, How to Navigate Your Health Plan also helps Latinos choose a health insurance plan that best fits their individual and families’ needs.

How to Navigate Your Health Plan highlights the differences between PacifiCare’s health insurance plans, such as SignatureValue HMO, SignatureOptions PPO and Plan Prevencion SignatureFreedom Self Directed Health Plan, and reviews the out-of-pocket costs commonly associated with these plans, such as co-payments, deductibles and co-insurance.

In addition, How to Navigate Your Health Plan describes the roles physicians play under each of these plans and shows users how to select one. For HMO members, it explains the authorization and refrral processes required in order to visit a specialist.

According to Russell Bennett, PacifiCare’s vice president of Latino Health Solutions, Latinos are eager to gain a better of understanding of how to appropriately utilize and access health plan services.

“By offering Latinos culturally appropriate and linguistically accurate information and support, we believe we can better anticipate and respond to the needs of our Latino members and enhance the programs and services we provide,” he said. “With How to Navigate Your Health Plan, PacifiCare is challenging the trend that too many Spanish-language health-related materials are either just direct translations or are too often complicated, generic or culturally insensitive. A creative bilingual, user-friendly, interactive Web module can help enhance the learning process and at the same time address Latinos’ health care concerns in a manner that is not only sensitive but fun as well as educational.”

According to Bennett, How to Navigate Your Health Plan is available to all consumers as well as employers and medical groups that employ, serve and provide care for the Latino community.

“Offering easier access to comprehensive health insurance information can also benefit those who are not yet insured and want to learn about the value of affordable, quality health care coverage,” he said.