PacifiCare Joins East West Bank for Mini Health Fairs

May 9, 2005 – PacifiCare is joining East West Bank to offer a series of 18 Mini Health Fairs to Chinese-American communities throughout California.
Designed to address and serve the unique health care needs of Chinese Americans statewide, the Mini Health Fairs will take place at select East West Bank locations statewide from May 16 to June 28.
This is the eighth year in a row that East West Bank has organized the fairs, and PacifiCare is the only health insurance company participating. PacifiCare staff will be on hand to provide guests with in-language health information and health screening tests, including: a Thermo-stress monitor (which measures body temperature as an indicator for stress levels); Dermascan (a self-diagnostic tool that evaluates skin condition and overall complexion health); Body Composition (which measures body-fat percentage using a gentle micro-electrical monitor); and Grip Strength (which provides a non-clinical analysis of handgrip strength measured by a hydraulic hand dynamometer).
“At PacifiCare, we are committed to enhancing the health care experience and improving the quality of life for Chinese Americans,” said Amber Jia, director of PacifiCare’s Asian American Markets. “By participating in the Mini Health Fairs, we have the opportunity to reach out to those within the Chinese-American communities who often face language barriers and other challenges when trying to access health care services as well as fewer options for health insurance plans that address their unique health care needs.”
The Mini Health Fairs will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in select East West Bank branch offices.  Dates and locations include: May 16, Alhambra; May 18, Arcadia; May 23, El Monte; May 25, Los Angeles; May 27, Monterey Park; June 1, Diamond Bar; June 3, Rosemead; June 6, Rowland Heights; June 10, Alhambra; June 13, Arcadia; June 15, Monterey Park; June 17, Rowland Heights; June 13, San Francisco; June 14, Oakland; June 15, Cupertino; June 16, San Mateo; June 27, San Francisco; and June 28, Milpitas.

In the Western United States where PacifiCare offers commercial health plans, there are currently more than 4.1 million Asian Americans comprising approximately 53 percent of the total Asian-American population in the United States. Of the 4.1 million, nearly 1.3 million are Chinese American comprising approximately 49 percent of the total Chinese-American population nationwide.
PacifiCare recently launched its Asian American Markets initiative to develop and enhance products and services specifically designed to address the unique health care needs of Asian Americans and to help build stronger ties with Asian-American members and organizations, including Asian-American brokers, physicians and employers.
PacifiCare has dedicated customer service representatives who speak Mandarin, Cantonese and English and are available at 800-938-2300. In addition, PacifiCare recently launched a Web site, www.pacificareasia.com, where each page can be read in English, Chinese, Korean or Vietnamese.  Members who speak Asian languages can choose a primary care physician or a specialist from an online provider directory that indicates doctors who speak those languages. PacifiCare also contracts with numerous Chinese doctors as well as key medical groups in communities where many Chinese Americans reside.
PacifiCare is also launching a comprehensive suite of health information programs specifically designed to address the unique health care needs of Asian Americans.