HealthPlan Headquarters is EXPANDING!!

For Immediate Release

NEW HEALTH CARE INSURANCE DELIVERY METHOD   Expanding throughout Maryland

      Baltimore, Md., October 25^th, 2011 -- Maryland will soon be home to 7 additional HealthPlan Headquarters locations, Annapolis, Belair, Columbia, Timonium, Waldorf, Westminster, & also one location in Wilmington Delaware.  Since opening on December 29, 2010 HealthPlan Headquarters has helped over 1,000 local residences and small business owners navigate the insurance maze.

            HealthPlan Headquarters, founded by longtime insurance executive Suzanne Thompson, is the first retail health insurance store in Maryland.  It opened December 29^th, 2011 at 7630 Belair Road in the Belair Beltway Plaza shopping center in Fullerton/Overlea. The new locations will offer free resources & guidance to even more Marylanders. The new locations will be by appointment only, however the original store is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and by appointment on Saturday, offering convenient hours for individuals and business owners alike.

            HealthPlan Headquarters features a new and innovative approach to providing people with assistance while they search and apply for health insurance.  Set in a retail environment, individuals and families may walk-in or make an appointment to sit down for a private one-on-one consultation with a licensed insurance professional.

In addition to medical insurance for both individuals and employer groups, HealthPlan Headquarters also offers dental, vision, life, disability, and property and casualty insurance.  Insurance coverage options are available from a variety of regional and national carriers licensed to sell in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and the District of Columbia.

            Another key component of HealthPlan Headquarters is its initiative to be a leading health and wellness education center for the community.   Ongoing seminars and events are offered to help people improve their overall health and well-being.  The store’s “Health Awareness Series” includes classes related to nutrition, exercise, chronic illness, smoking cessation, stress management and others.   The “Insurance Education Series” focuses on topics such as Health Care Reform, Medicare, and Insurance Basics. Currently HealthPlan Headquarters is running its second Integrative Health Course & offering Medicare 101 seminars where people can become more educated about each option, as well as have all of their questions answered.

The concept for HealthPlan Headquarters grew out of an increasing recognition that, for many people, finding the right insurance is an intimidating process.  Some feel uncomfortable having a salesperson come into their home and others feel overwhelmed trying to understand the differences between the vast number of insurance choices available on the market today, and they don’t know where to find help from an impartial advocate.  HealthPlan Headquarters is a place where people can go to ask questions, learn about their options, and have a licensed insurance specialist guide them through the process of selecting insurance coverage that meets their needs.  Located in a retail environment, HealthPlan Headquarters provides the individual attention consumers have been searching for in an accessible, friendly and welcoming environment.

According to the Center for American Progress, there were 810,000 uninsured people in the State of Maryland in 2009. According to the Department of Numbers as of April 2011 218,328 were unemployed. As people continue to lose jobs and employers choose to no longer offer benefits, the number of uninsured individuals will likely continue to rise.  Adding to this concern is that as new federal health care reform regulations are implemented, the process for obtaining health insurance and the rules governing it will become even more complex.  The accessibility of HealthPlan Headquarters and its focus on providing affordable solutions and a high level of customer service gives HealthPlan Headquarters the competitive edge.

 “The process of finding and evaluating health insurance options can be overwhelming,” said Ms. Thompson, President of HealthPlan Headquarters.  “HealthPlan Headquarters is a new model for companies and people who need access to trained insurance professionals who will take the time to explain the options in a comfortable, secure environment.”

“We are a one-stop shop in a convenient retail location.  Our “HPHQ Gurus”—licensed insurance professionals—will help clients navigate the complex world of insurance so they are confident about the policies they choose and educated about how they work,” Ms. Thompson explained.  “The HealthPlan Headquarters team provides access to coverage from people who care.”

Ms. Thompson has nearly 25 years of experience in the insurance industry.  Currently, she is a Principal at Landmark Insurance and Financial Group.  Her experience includes working with FreeState Healthplan (the original HMO offered by BlueCross BlueShield of Maryland) and MAMSI Health Plans.  Ms. Thompson has been a small business owner, having started American Sports Exchange, award-winning consignment sports and exercise stores in Parkville and Catonsville, in the 1990s.

Ms. Thompson is active in the Baltimore community.  She is past president and current treasurer of the Maryland Association of Health Underwriters and serves on the board of the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland.  She is a member of Network 2000 and was named to Maryland’s Top 100 Women in 2008 and 2011.

            For more information about HealthPlan Headquarters, call 410-433-HPHQ (4747) or visit www.HealthPlanHQ.com.  You can also follow HealthPlan Headquarters on Facebook (www.facebook.com/HealthPlanHQ), Twitter (@HealthPlanHQ), LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/healthplanheadquarters), and YouTube (www.youtube.com/user/HealthPlanHQ).