Hawai'i has added Summerlin Life and Health Insurance Co. to the pool of healthcare providers that will participate in the state's Medicaid QUEST program for the next three years.

Three other providers that participate also won bids to continue: AlohaCare, Hawaii Medical Service Association and Kaiser Permanente. Summerlin will join in April 2007.

AlohaCare and Summerlin will participate in all four of the state's counties. Kaiser will participate in Honolulu, Maui and Kaua'i counties. HMSA will participate in Honolulu and Hawai'i counties.

The QUEST program serves approximately 165,000 lowincome adults and children statewide.

"By leveling the playing field through a competitive bidding process, we increased the number of health insurance plans available to our clients," said state Department of Human Services Director Lillian Koller.

The new contracts require for the first time that health plans offer at least four programs for disease management.

Two of the programs must focus on asthma and diabetes, which are particularly prevalent in Hawai'i. Two additional programs must be offered to address congestive heart failure, HIV-AIDS, high-risk pregnancy or obesity management.