Sterling HSA and Medical Cost Advocate Announce Partnership to Help Lower Consumer Healthcare Costs

USA (SANEPR.com) June 4, 2009 -- Sterling HSA®, a company specializing in administering health savings accounts (HSAs) and Medical Cost Advocate®, a company with expertise in negotiating health care costs for consumers, have teamed up to provide Sterling HSA account holders with a service to review and negotiate their out-of-pocket medical expenses as another way of advancing consumer driven healthcare and cost reduction.

Sterling HSA account holders will be able to have Medical Cost Advocate (MCA) review bills for health care expenses to determine if the fees are competitive and applicable. The program works with any health plan, insurance status or type of bill. There is no up-front fee and Sterling account holders pay for the MCA service only if they save money on their medical bills. With 10 years of experience, MCA’s team of attorneys and industry professionals negotiate directly with medical providers on behalf of Sterling HSA account holders. MCA can also pre-negotiate favorable cost and payment terms before patients schedule an expensive medical procedure.

“This new service from Sterling HSA is another important step toward our mission of delivering the industry’s most personalized advocacy approach to help our clients,” said Cora M. Tellez, founder and president of Sterling HSA. “Before founding Sterling in 2004, I was an executive in the health insurance industry and I know how complex, confusing and expensive it can be for consumers to understand their healthcare bills and determine what is a fair price for services. In these economic times, helping our clients reduce expense is even more critical.”

While Sterling HSA offers services to review each account holders’ Explanation of Benefits and can advise them on claims before paying healthcare bills on their behalf, Medical Cost Advocate is involved in a deeper level of review. MCA offers actual expense negotiation based on market data. MCA works directly with the consumer and health care provider to ensure respect for the relationship.

“Medical Cost Advocate’s mission is to provide expert advocacy services that save consumers money and enable them to pay a fair price for healthcare,” said Derek J. Fitteron, founder and CEO of Medical Cost Advocate. “We are able to save consumers 20-50% on most bills from $250 to $250,000. We look forward to serving the account holders of Sterling HSA and applaud their efforts to provide services that advocate for clients.”

Health savings accounts continue to gain in popularity due to the cost-effective nature of high-deductible health plans accompanying them and the potential to save money tax-free. Consumers can put pre-tax money into an HSA for deductibles and other medical expenses and withdraw the money, as with a bank account, on a tax-free basis. Leftover funds can be carried forward into the next year and saved for future needs or retirement. Through negotiation of healthcare expenses by third-party experts like MCA, consumers can retain even more funds in their account.

About Sterling HSA
Sterling HSA, an independent, privately held company, specializes in administering HSAs, or health savings accounts. It is led by a team of experienced healthcare executives and advised by a board of distinguished professionals with expertise in healthcare, banking and the law. In conjunction with eligible insurance plans, HSAs provided by Sterling enable employers to control rising health care costs, subscribers to get the services they need and save money, and insurance professionals to enhance the range of services they can offer to their clients. For more information on HSAs and Sterling HSA, please visit www.sterlinghsa.com.
Contact: Nancy Brumfield (206) 310-4900 nancy.brumfield@sterlinghsa.com

About Medical Cost Advocate
Medical Cost Advocate (MCA) is the consumer’s expert medical cost reduction partner. MCA reduces medical bills before or after treatment by contacting medical care providers and negotiating on the client’s behalf. MCA advocates are experienced legal and industry professionals serving consumers, their employers, benefits consultants and financial institutions. Fees are based on negotiated savings, so there is no fee unless the client saves money. With out-of-pocket healthcare costs steadily on the rise, MCA provides the personal advocacy every consumer needs to realize savings. MCA’s services are easy to access through its website. To learn more about Medical Cost Advocate, please visit www.medicalcostadvocate.com.
Contact: Doug Swankie (201) 891-8989 dswankie@medicalcostadvocate.com
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