HumanaAdvance Card Helps
With Health Care Expenses

The introduction of health savings accounts offers consumers a convenient way to save for health care expenses. And while many consumers are taking advantage of these accounts, there may be times when the individual has not accumulated sufficient funds or may have exhausted the funds in his or her account. In these situations, consumers may be searching for an alternative method to cover their health care expenses. In response to this need, Humana has introduced the HumanaAdvance^SM Visa® Card, issued by Republic Bank & Trust Company. This new innovative health care card is designed to help consumers pay for health care expenses, and can be used only at health care provider locations, such as physician offices, hospitals, labs and pharmacies.

The card features a low annual fee and a fixed 0% Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on all purchases, which are automatically repaid via paycheck deduction over a six-month period. The amount of the credit limit is dependent on the consumer's salary.

Providers should use the HumanaAdvance card the same way they would use a typical credit card. The HumanaAdvance card is separate from the HumanaAccess card (spending account card).

Providers benefit from the new card, as patients will have a new low-cost financing option for health care expenses. The card provides a convenient payment option for consumers, which helps to relieve patient responsibility collection concerns. Providers can have more confidence that patients with high-deductible health plans will have available funds when they need them.

"As consumers continue to take more ownership of their health and health care related expenses, the new HumanaAdvance card will provide a simple, affordable solution to help cover out-of-pocket healthcare related expenses when other sources of funds are either unavailable or exhausted. The card is a great tool for employees to use in conjunction with a consumer choice health plan and a tax advantaged health care account, such as a Health Savings Account (HSA)," said Beth Bierbower, vice president of product innovation for Humana. "Republic Bank's knowledge of the consumer financial services market and Humana's innovative approach to consumerism in health care provide the foundation for a great partnership."

Please note that the HumanaAdvance card is not a Humana member ID card and should not be copied or kept on file at your office. For more information, visit www.humanaadvance.com.

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Understanding Humana's Credentialing Process

Humana maintains a credentialing process for participating physicians. Following is a review of the credentialing requirements and timelines for physicians.

Physicians participating with all Humana plans and all lines of business, including HMO, PPO and ASO plans, must complete credentialing. Credentialing takes place when a physician joins the Humana network and every three years thereafter.

The process works as follows:

• The physician completes the contract and an application (a state-mandated application, Humana/ChoiceCare application or Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare (CAQH) Universal Credentialing DataSource application). The CAQH application offers a fast, easy and standardized method for physicians to complete credentialing information.
• Humana provides physicians with a required credentialing documents checklist and a separate list of requirements for a complete credentialing application. These checklists help physicians ensure they have provided a complete application, no matter which form they choose to use.
• When credentialing is approved, Humana signs the contract, and the physician receives his or her welcome packet with the contract effective date.
• When recredentialing is necessary, Humana sends the physician a prepopulated application to review and update. Physicians are notified of recredentialing seven months before their due date, to allow plenty of time to complete the credentialing information.

"The most frequent question we receive is 'How fast can my contract be effective'" said Susan Oxley, area director, provider network operations. "Usually, the time between contract execution and completing the credentialing process is approximately 60 days."

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