Background Overview:

Vytra Health Plans provides personalized health care coverage to its members, offering them measurable value and promoting their improved health. Vytra serves approximately 7,500 large and small businesses and organizations on Long Island, offering a variety of plans, as well as administrative services for self-insured clients.

In 2001, Vytra was acquired by HIP Health Plan of New York. Together, the Vytra/HIP organization serves over one million members. In 2004, Vytra was accredited for its commercial HMO and POS plans from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality and helping consumers, employers and others make more informed health care choices. Vytra is also the recipient of the Long Island Association's 2004 Medal of Honor. Delivering outstanding value to its members and dedicated to the overall health and wellness of the community, Vytra and its employees are proud to help make Long Island a better place to live, work, and do business.

Our Mission:

To add measurable value to our customers and earn trust by contributing to their health improvement and security.

Our Vision:

To perfect the discipline of understanding customer needs and deliver adaptive solutions that exceed expectations.

Timeline:

1985

• ChoiceCare founded by David S. Reynolds, as not-for-profit IPA model HMO, owned jointly by Winthrop University Hospital and Health Care Plan.
• ChoiceCare becomes first IPA licensed in downstate New York.

1986

• ChoiceCare opens for business in Uniondale. Chemical Bank and Cleary School for Deaf among first accounts.
• 1,000th member enrolled.

1987

• Grumman employees enroll, doubling enrollment to nearly 5,000 members.

1991

• Service area expanded to include Queens.
• ChoiceCare moves to Melville. Company has over 75 employees and more than 30,000 members. First wellness programs offered.
• ChoiceCare awarded contract as administrator of Suffolk County's self-insured employee health plan effective 1/92.

1992

• Third party administration services for self-insured employers and point-of-service products introduced. PPO and POS plans introduced.
• ChoiceCare membership more than doubles with the addition of 37,000 members from Suffolk County.
• Medicaid program introduced. Full provider network available to Medicaid members.

1993

• LILCO contract adds another 18,000 members.
• Individual and small business plans offered, providing access to many who could not previously purchase affordable health insurance.

1994

• Contract with Suffolk County renewed, ChoiceCare also awarded contract to administer hospital plan.

1995

• HCFA approval to offer Medicare managed care products received.
• ChoiceCare one of three plans offered by Long Island Association Health Alliance, New York's first small business health insurance cooperative.
• Company approved for Article 43 license, allowing the sale of experience-rated products.

1996

• Name changed to Vytra Healthcare, before becoming Vytra Health Plans in 1998.

1997

• Constellation Club, the first program dedicated to rewarding healthy lifestyles, introduced.
• Vytra wins Inc./MCI Positive Performer Award for superior customer service.
• Vytra providers network expands to Manhattan with Mt. Sinai hospital contract.
• Petition to convert to for-profit status filed with state Supreme Court.

1998

• MaxAccess, first open access point-of-service plan, introduced to wide market acceptance.
• Name officially changed to Vytra Health Plans.
• Membership reaches all-time high of 257,731.

1999

• KeySpan, formerly LILCO, awards Vytra hospital and major medical contracts.
• American Association of Health Plans awards Vytra for influenza and pneumonia immunization programs.
• Vytra completes Medicare exit with withdrawal from Queens County.

2000

• Thomas J. McAteer, Jr. appointed President and CEO.
• Contract with Suffolk County renews.
• Scope of plan offerings expands with new Total Business Package that includes health, dental, disability and life insurance.

2001

• Vytra selected as health plan administrator of the East End Health Plan.
• Launch of new SmartStart and Healthy New York plans, which address the need for low-cost health coverage for the working uninsured.
• Vytra and HIP Health Plan of New York form a Strategic alliance. HIP replaces Vytra's previous controlling member organizations.

2004

• Vytra Health Plans has been awarded an Excellent accreditation for its commercial HMO and POS plans from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).
• Vytra introduces new products: Cost Sharing PPO and Direct Access POS
• Vytra Health Plans and its employees are the recipient of the Long Island Association Medal of Honor.
• Vytra Health Plans receives the Nassau County Sports Commission Corporate Award.

2005

• Vytra Health Plans was rated highest among health plans serving Long Island and New York City in the New York State Health Accountability Foundation annual HMO Report Card for the Rating of Health Plan measure, exceeding state and national averages.

Awards & Recognition

Vytra has been recognized by several national and regional organizations for quality customer service and other significant measures.

• Vytra Health Plans and its employees are the recipient of the 2004 Long Island Association Medal of Honor.
• Vytra Health Plans receives the Nassau County Sports Commission Corporate Award in 2004.
• The American Cancer Society honored Vytra with the Corporate Caring Award in 2001.
• In 2000, Vytra received recognition as a Long Island Family Friendly Employer from the Family and Children’s Association.
• Vytra is the 1999/2000 recipient for the Award of Excellence for “Outstanding Performance Improvement Aid” by the International Society for Performance Improvement.
• New York State Health Accountability Foundation’s 2000 HMO Report Card rated Vytra as having the second highest customer satisfaction among downstate health plans.
• In 1999, Vytra was recognized as one of the winners of the Innovative Quality Improvement Adult Immunization award by the American Association of Health Plans (AAHP) for success in improving flu and pneumonia vaccination rates.
• HealthGrades.com gave Vytra’s HMO a four star rating (out of 5), and Vytra’s POS received a three star rating in 1999.
• Vytra was rated the best HMO on Long Island in 1998 by CareData, a national health care consumer research company.
• In 1997 a Gallup survey of federal employees rated Vytra highest in overall satisfaction among New York metropolitan area health plans.
• Vytra was a recipient of the 1997 Inc./MCI Positive Performer Award, national recognition for excellence in customer service through creativity and superior awareness of customer needs.
• The National Research Corporation rated Vytra as having the highest customer satisfaction of any health plan on Long Island in 1997 and 1998.