PHOENIX (Oct. 24, 2007) -- Banner Alzheimer’s Institute and a national health care coordination provider are collaborating on a new and innovative health program tailored to the unique needs of people with Alzheimer’s disease.

The Evercare® Health Plan for People with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia is the first Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plan designed specifically for dementia patients and will be offered exclusively in Maricopa County. Enrollment begins Nov. 15 and the plan takes effect on Jan. 1, 2008.

The plan integrates the Banner Alzheimer’s Institute’s care and treatment programs with Evercare’s nationally-recognized approach to caring for people with long-term chronic illness and their caregivers. Evercare is a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group.

“We are committed to addressing both the medical and non-medical needs of patients with Alzheimer’s disease and their families as fully as possible,” said Eric M. Reiman, M.D., executive director of the Banner Alzheimer’s Institute.

Banner Alzheimer's Institute works with many different insurers and care-coordination programs. Patients interested in coming to Banner Alzheimer's Institute don't necessarily have to be Evercare members.

Under the Evercare plan, professional care managers will work with  the plan members’ other health care professionals to help maximize the members’ health plan benefits. They will help explain the Medicare and Medicaid benefits and simplify the paperwork, educate the members and caregivers about managing the chronic condition, develop a customized plan of care, and arrange for a variety of needed home care services such as meal deliveries and personal care services.

Plan members will have access to Banner Alzheimer’s Institute’s team of memory and thinking disorder specialists. They will also be able to meet with the Institute’s Family and Community Services group which can assist with non-medical needs such as strategies for adapting to changing communication skills, tips for solving behavioral issues, and recommendations for diet and exercise.

Other plan benefits include:

• Enrollment in the Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return® Program which helps reunite loved ones with dementia patients who wander
• Counseling for caregivers
• Access to adult day care services
• Respite care
• Non-emergency transportation, such as rides to doctors’ appointments

More than 5 million people nationwide are affected by Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia. According to the Arizona Department of Health, Alzheimer’s is the sixth-leading cause of death in Arizona.

“Never before have people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia been able to access health care specifically tailored to their complex health, behavioral and social support needs,” said Charles Dow, executive director of Evercare for the Arizona region. “Evercare is proud to have our core competency of Evercare Care Managers teaming with Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, one of the region’s most respected organizations for patients with memory loss and thinking problems. Through our shared focus on innovation and Evercare’s legacy of providing highly personalized health care coordination, together we share the goal of advancing the quality care for Maricopa County’s Alzheimer’s families.”

About Banner Alzheimer's Institute
The Banner Alzheimer’s Institute offers clinical care for patients with memory and thinking problems; education, referral and support services for family and caregivers; and research in clinical trials, brain imaging and genetics studies. The Institute is devoted to finding effective Alzheimer’s disease-slowing and prevention treatments in the shortest time possible. Banner Alzheimer’s Institute is owned and operated by Phoenix-based Banner Health, a nonprofit organization. It is also a member of the Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium, a statewide “laboratory without walls” designed to leverage the complementary strengths of its seven member institutions to advance the scientific understanding, treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease.