DOWNEY – The Boeing Company selected MemorialCare Health System for a first-of-its-kind customized health plan option in California for almost all of Boeing’s employees and their dependents in the Long Beach, South Bay and Orange County communities. 

Boeing has about 15,000 employees and 22,000 dependents in California, most of those in the Southern California region. 

The Preferred Partnership is designed to improve health, enhance the patient experience and make health care more affordable for Boeing and those employees who choose it, officials announced.

This arrangement will add the health system’s MemorialCare Health Alliance ACO (Accountable Care Organization) health plan option to Boeing’s open enrollment this fall, with services beginning Jan. 1, 2017.  

In addition to MemorialCare Health System, PIH Health, PIH Health Hospitals in Downey and Whittier and PIH Physicians medical group are part of the partnership. Other partners include UC Irvine Health and Torrance Memorial Health System for a total of nine hospitals and thousands of physicians, outpatient and community health care offerings.

Boeing employees choosing MemorialCare Health Alliance will be offered enhanced health benefits and incentives at lower costs. These include decreased paycheck deductions for health care coverage, no office-visit copayments for network primary care physician visits, 100 percent coverage for generic-drug prescriptions (for high-deductible plans, benefits apply when the deductible is met) and freedom to choose specialists within the network without a primary care physician referral. 

Other features are increased company contributions to a health savings account for eligible participants, quicker access to network primary care providers and specialists, additional after-hours care, more personalized and coordinated care, greater use of electronic messaging with providers and access to medical records. 

Emergency care will be covered at in-network levels, even if received outside the MemorialCare network.

Officials with Boeing said they selected MemorialCare as its exclusive Preferred Partnership provider in the Southern California region after a “rigorous competitive process.” 

The selection was based in part on MemorialCare’s reputation for their high quality of care, broad geographic reach and the depth of their extensive physician, hospital and community outpatient center network, officials said.

“MemorialCare and its partners have a long track record of health care leadership and innovation in Southern California, as well as a strong market presence,” said Jeff White, Boeing’s Director of Health Care Strategy.

“MemorialCare Health Alliance is another great opportunity for PIH Health to expand its reach of services to those in the community,” said PIH Health President and CEO James R. West. “This partnership will introduce many new Boeing employees, and their families to the high quality care and Patients First vision that PIH Health offers.” PIH Health is recognized as one of the nation’s top hospital systems for best practices and cutting-edge advancements in both quality and health care technology.

“Because the majority of Boeing employees live throughout the greater Long Beach, South Bay and Orange County communities well served by MemorialCare and its partners, many are accustomed to and comfortable with the network’s primary care and specialty physicians, hospitals, outpatient and community outreach programs,” added Boeing’s Jeff White.