Grand Rounds Brings Second Opinions and Potential Cost Savings to Starmark's Client Base

SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - April 07, 2016) -  Grand Rounds, the leader in identifying high-quality health care providers and connecting patients with these physicians, today announced it will offer its second opinion services to Starmark^®. Starmark is the leader in self-funding for small groups, and is the first plan administrator to feature Grand Rounds™ second opinions with its health plan designs.

"We're thrilled to incorporate our second opinion service with the plan designs offered by Starmark to small and medium-sized employers, which expands our vision of increasing well-being and quality of life through better health and improved cost savings," said Ed Lehman, Senior Vice President, national accounts and channel partners for Grand Rounds. "Through our second opinion service, Starmark members can now receive a second opinion from a specialist, increasing their ability to choose the most appropriate treatment plan."

Grand Rounds provides virtual second opinions from national physicians specializing in the area of need -- without any travel. Users report two times the level of comprehension of their condition and/or care plan as a result of Grand Rounds' process, as well as health care cost containment by reducing unnecessary procedures.

"Starmark is always watching for opportunities to help our employers and members save on the rising costs of healthcare. As we learned about Grand Rounds and the results it can deliver, we worked to make it available with our self-funded health plan designs as quickly as possible," said Dan Mueller, Director, Managed Care for Starmark.

Through the second opinion service, eligible members and their covered dependents will have access to a dedicated care team that will help ensure a smooth process, including collecting medical records. Members will also have access to a dedicated website and phone number where they can seamlessly receive case information, along with a native iOS and Android mobile application to start cases on the go.

"We firmly believe that improved care can improve quality of life and create potential cost savings for the patient if unnecessary, costly procedures are avoided. Larger employers have achieved this for years with the help of Grand Rounds, and now small to medium-sized employers are able to do so as well," Lehman added. "Starmark has positioned itself uniquely in the market by offering Grand Rounds' second opinion service with their plan designs, and we look forward to providing our services to their clients."

Second opinions are just one of the services offered by Grand Rounds to address cost saving and patient quality of life. To learn more, visit www.grandrounds.com. To learn more about Starmark's self-funded health plan designs for small to mid-size businesses, visit www.starmarkinc.com.

About Grand Rounds

Grand Rounds' vision is to create a path to great health and health care, for everyone, everywhere. Founded in 2011, the company provides an employer-based platform that delivers improved outcomes for patients and their families. It does this through an end-to-end solution that connects patients with care informed by the latest and best practices -- preventing and correcting misdiagnoses and unnecessary or failed treatments. Recently named second among Glassdoor's Best Places to Work, Grand Rounds helps restore individual health and quality of life, and offers employers lower health care spend and higher employee productivity. For more information, please visit grandrounds.com or follow us on Twitter @GrandRoundsInc.

About Starmark ^®

Starmark administers self-funded health benefit plans, offering extensive plan design choices, exceptional personal service and nationwide provider access for small to mid-size businesses. Plans are administered by Starmark, and stop-loss insurance and ancillary coverage are provided by Trustmark Life Insurance Company. Additional information is available at www.starmarkinc.com.

About The Trustmark Companies

Well-being means more than good health. The Trustmark Companies provide a full spectrum of employee benefits to improve well-being through better health and greater financial security. These include payroll-deducted voluntary products, expert benefit plan design and administration, and population wellness programs and fitness center management. Trustmark's success is based on building and maintaining trust through personal, responsive service and flexible, innovative benefit solutions. Visit us at www.trustmarkcompanies.com.