New HMO in Florida's Manatee County Sparks Interest.

By Shelly Sigo, The Bradenton Herald, Fla. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

BRADENTON, Fla.--Jan. 30--More than 100 people in Manatee and Sarasota counties called SunStar Healthcare Inc. after company officials announced they would expand their health maintenance organization (HMO) subsidiary, SunStar Health Plan Inc., into Manatee County last week.

Of those who called, 35 people were brokers wanting to sell the plan, 25 callers asked for literature pertaining to the plan and the remainder wanted to sign up, SunStar Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Warren D. Stowell said.

"I got four calls from people who were in Sarasota complaining that it was not fair that Manatee County could get the plan and they couldn't," Stowell said.

SunStar is based in Heathrow, near Orlando. Its plan offers an "open access" HMO, meaning patients do not have to go through a primary doctor, or gatekeeper, to see a specialist as long as the specialist is in SunStar's panel of doctors.

Through a contract with Bay Care Health Network, SunStar has agreements for services with Tampa Bay hospitals, including Manatee Memorial Hospital.

More than 100 doctors in Manatee County are on SunStar's panel, some of whom have privileges at Manatee Memorial.

The SunStar plan will be available in Sarasota by June, Stowell said.

For more information about the SunStar plan or investing in the company, call toll-free 1-888-339-4997.

-----

Visit Bradenton Herald Internet Plus on the World Wide Web at http://www.bhip.com

-----

(c) 1998, The Bradenton Herald, Fla. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.