PacifiCare Health
Systems Names Russell A. Bennett Vice
President of Latino Health Solutions
• New
initiative highlights PacifiCare’s
commitment to the Latino community
• Latino Health
Solutions offers health education and
information and increased access to care
for Latino members
PacifiCare Health
Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: PHSY), announced
that Russell A. Bennett has joined the
company as vice president of Latino
Health Solutions, PacifiCare’s new
initiative to increase health care access
and service to the Latino community.
In this newly
created position, Bennett will lead
PacifiCare’s initiative to develop
and manage new as well as existing
products and services that will help
build stronger ties with Latino members
and organizations, including Latino
physicians, brokers and employers. Bennett
will report to Joseph E. Smith, vice
president of Product Development.
“Russell’s
tremendous health care experience and
valuable relationships within the U.S.
and Mexico we believe will further
PacifiCare’s commitment to the
health care needs of Latinos,” said
Howard G. Phanstiel, president and chief
executive officer of PacifiCare Health
Systems. “Our Latino Health
Solutions initiative reinforces our
belief that caring is good, but doing
something is better. By enhancing
health education and information, we are
taking action to strengthen and expand
strategic relationships with Latino
members and physicians and offer
employers products and programs that
address the needs of their Latino
employees.”
Many of PacifiCare’s
Health Improvement programs are currently
available in Spanish, including its
StopSmokingSM, Taking Charge of
DepressionSM, Taking Charge of DiabetesSM
and Taking Charge of Your Heart HealthSM
programs. In addition, PacifiCare
collaborated with Consumer Action, a San
Francisco-based national public interest
organization, to produce two free
educational brochures for consumers,
“It’s Your Health: How to Get
the Most Out of Your HMO” and “It’s
Your Choice: Are Medicare HMOs Right for
You?” Both brochures are
available in Spanish and English.
Latinos represent
the largest population among all ethnic
groups in the eight states where
PacifiCare operates, with more than 20
million people representing approximately
26 percent of the population in these
states. According to the Kaiser
Family Foundation1, more than 17 million
non-elderly Hispanics reside in California,
Arizona and Texas, of which up to 36
percent are uninsured.
“The new Latino
Health Solutions initiative creates new
opportunities for PacifiCare and reflects
our commitment to offer health and
consumer services and products
specifically tailored for the Latino
community,” said Bennett. “I
look forward to utilizing my experience
and expertise in leading a dedicated team
of individuals to spearhead this new
initiative, especially in California and Arizona,
where PacifiCare is an excellent
accredited health plan by the National
Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).”
Before coming to California,
Bennett spent 30 years in Mexico, where
he grew up and received a bilingual and
bicultural education. He has worked
with private industry as well as
nonprofit, community-based and government
organizations in both the U.S. and Mexico.
Prior to joining
PacifiCare, Bennett served as executive
director of the United States-Mexico
Border Health Commission, U.S. Section.
Previously, he was the director of
International and Multicultural Services
for Sharp HealthCare, a large integrated
health care provider based in San Diego.
At Sharp Healthcare,
Bennett developed the community health
education television program series,
“Salud para Usted” (Health for
You), in Spanish and English, to enhance
community awareness and knowledge about
conditions critical to the Latino
community, including diabetes, cancer,
heart disease, unintentional injuries,
maternal and child health and many other
subjects. He also developed the
project “El Buen Uso de los
Antibióticos” (The Proper Use of
Antibiotics) to encourage community
members and health professionals to
reduce behaviors that create antibiotic
resistance. This project was later
adopted by the California Medical
Association Foundation as part of its
AWARE program to reduce antibiotic
misuse.
Bennett received his
bachelor’s degree in Economics and
his master of Business Administration
from the University of the Americas in Mexico
City and in Puebla, Mexico. He also
received the Healthcare Executive
Leadership Certificate from the University
of California, San Diego.
PacifiCare Health
Systems is one of the nation's largest
health and consumer services companies
with approximately $11 billion in annual
revenues. Primary operations
include health insurance products for
employer groups and Medicare
beneficiaries in eight states and Guam,
serving approximately 3.3 million
members. Other specialty products
and operations include pharmacy and
medical management, behavioral health
services, life and health insurance and
dental and vision services. More
information on PacifiCare Health Systems
can be obtained at www.pacificare.com.
_____________
1 Source: Kaiser
Family Foundation, “Health Insurance
Comparison for Non-elderly Hispanics,
1999-2000”
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