AMHERST, NY (09/28/2011)(readMedia)-- Bishop Edward U. Kmiec of the Diocese of Buffalo and His brother bishops joined with the Fidelis Care Board of Directors today to dedicate the health plan's new Operations Center and Offices in Getzville (town of Amherst), New York.

This historic event brought New York's bishops together to celebrate Fidelis Care's mission of serving the poor, uninsured, and medically underserved of New York State. Fidelis Care is the New York State Catholic Health Plan, and the largest government-programs based health insurance plan in the State. What began in 1993 as the Catholic Health Services Plan of Brooklyn and Queens, Inc., has expanded into 58 of New York's 62 counties, due in large part to the vision and leadership of New York's Catholic bishops.

Bishop Kmiec offered an opening prayer, and a local perspective on Fidelis Care and the Church's health care ministry. "Within the Diocese of Buffalo, we see and know first hand the commitment of Fidelis Care to make a difference in the lives of local residents, community by community, family by family, one by one. The Catholic Church - here in Buffalo, across New York State, and around the world - has a long and rich tradition of caring for the poor and medically vulnerable, and Fidelis Care is a wonderful and successful example of what can be accomplished when our priorities are united in caring for those most in need."

Also in attendance at the ceremony were Bishop Matthew H. Clark (Diocese of Rochester), Bishop Robert J. Cunningham (Diocese of Syracuse), Bishop Terry R. LaValley (Diocese of Ogdensburg), Bishop Howard J. Hubbard (Diocese of Albany), Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio (Diocese of Brooklyn), Bishop William F. Murphy (Diocese of Rockville Centre), Fidelis Care's Board of Directors, local providers, health care and social service leaders, and Fidelis Care employees.

Bishop Joseph M. Sullivan, Fidelis Care's Chairman of the Board, spoke about the history of Fidelis Care. "For those of you who may not be aware, the successful company that is known as Fidelis Care today comes from somewhat humble beginnings. Our initial operating certificate reflected 14 zip codes in the borough of Brooklyn. This was the prelude to a Statewide expansion in 1996. Health insurance was a new frontier for the Catholic health care ministry at the time. Although there were some initial doubts, we had three key ingredients for success that continue as the foundation of Fidelis Care today: hard work, thoughtful planning, and leadership."

Fidelis Care President and CEO, Mark Lane, said, "We know that the opening and dedication of a new building is about much more than physical office space. In the purest sense, it is about the growth of a mission that is at the foundation of all we do, every day. And it is this mission that requires uncommon commitment and a spirit of service to others that inspires each of us to give our best - whether we are relocating to a new facility with room to grow, or helping our members build healthier lives for themselves and their families."

Mr. Lane noted that Fidelis Care serves more than 730,000 members Statewide, including 66,000 residents within the counties of the Diocese of Buffalo. In the State, approximately 2.3 million adults and 343,000 children remain uninsured.

Fidelis Care, in partnership with the Uniland Development Company, recently completed construction of the new state-of-the-art facilities that house Fidelis Care's growing presence and expanding programs in Western New York. The new Operations Center and Offices, located at 480 CrossPoint Parkway in Getzville, provide nearly double the office space (89,000 square feet) of the previous location, has room for nearly 750 employees, is conveniently located off of major highways, and is accessible by public transportation. The property's footprint also has adequate space for future construction if needed.

Fidelis Care offers free or low-cost comprehensive health insurance through the Child Health Plus, Family Health Plus, and Medicaid Managed Care programs, covering checkups, prenatal care, preventive care, well-child visits, immunizations, lab tests, x-rays, hospitalization, emergency treatment, and more. Members receive care from their own primary care physicians whom they know and trust.

Seniors are served through Fidelis Care's Medicare Advantage Plus program, and those who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid coverage through Fidelis Care's Dual Advantage program, available in certain counties. Fidelis Care also offers two managed long term care programs called Fidelis Care at Home and Medicaid Advantage Plus. These programs help adults who would otherwise be eligible for nursing home level of care, remain safely at home for as long as possible.

In addition to the new Getzville location, Fidelis Care has regional offices in Syracuse, Albany, and Rego Park (Queens), with satellite offices in Rochester, Poughkeepsie, and Suffern.

For more information, call Fidelis Care toll-free at 1-888-FIDELIS (1-888-343-3547) or visit fideliscare.org.

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Posted Wednesday September 28, 2011 at 05:32 pm by Fidelis Care
Last Updated Tuesday October 04, 2011 at 12:50 pm