FHP International is spinning off a new company, Talbert Medical Group, for all its 57 medical centers in the West, including the seven in Utah.
Talbert will introduce its name and logo on Jan. 1 with new signs on the FHP medical centers along the Wasatch Front.FHP Health Care of Utah will continue to operate and will still offer services to its 180,000 members in the state. However, Talbert will offer health-care services not only to FHP members but to others outside the FHP mantle.
"FHP Health Care is the health insurance plan and Talbert Medical Group is the health-care delivery entity," said Dee Brewer, FHP public affairs administrator.
"Under separate organizations, Talbert Medical Group will be able to provide medical services to other insurers and payers, so anybody could go in there on a fee-for-service basis to see those physicians," Brewer said. "Other payers could contract with them to provide medical services to their subscribers."
Brewer said the latter is an important distinction, because competitors might be leery about contracting with FHP for medical services, but would feel at ease contracting with a separate entity such as Talbert.
Why would a competitor do that?
"The reason another insurance company would contract with them is if they could get quality service at an efficient price," Brewer said. "They may come to that medical group and strike an arrangement."
Kathryn Adair is president of Talbert Medical Management Corporation, Utah Division, which oversees the management and administration of the medical groups.
Adair said Talbert offers an extensive primary-care physician network and access to many mid-level practitioners experienced in managed and preventative care.
She said the new arrangement also will mean convenience for patients.
"Very few medical groups have facilities extending from Provo to Ogden. This is nice for families with one insurance plan who need to access multiple geographic sites," she said.
Talbert also offers one-stop-shopping convenience at its centers, she said, since they are equipped with pharmacies, X-ray facilities, optometry services, and often dental services and child care.
Another plus is the fact that all the Talbert centers have extended hours.
Talbert will continue to use the Salt Lake City FHP Hospital, which is going to be sold, but also will contract with local hospitals in other communities.