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FORT WAYNE, Ind., Oct. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Lutheran Health Network (LHN) announces it has reached agreement to partner with Consumers Life Insurance Company forming a new network to provide healthcare service to consumers in 12 Indiana counties including the Fort Wayne area.

Included in the new network partnership is Fort Wayne's Lutheran Hospital, the region's only heart-transplant facility. Lutheran's facility also has a strong commitment to pediatrics with Lutheran Children's Hospital. In addition, Lutheran is also known for its high quality emergency services. Fort Wayne's Dupont and St. Joseph hospitals are also included in the expansion.

Other LHN medical and healthcare facilities, which are also part of the network, are located in Miami, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko and Wells counties.

Consumers Life Vice President Lincoln Lafayette said the partnership will take effect January 1, 2009 and is significant for Indiana healthcare consumers in many ways. "This partnership with the Lutheran Health family is bringing additional healthcare competition to Indiana. Our partnership with Lutheran will also provide more choices and better access to quality healthcare."

Paul Moss, vice president of LHN, agreed. "We are very happy to have Consumers Life in our network family. Throughout the Lutheran Health Network, we're widely known for our dedication to providing citizens with outstanding medical care," said Moss, "We're committed to the economic health and wellness of the communities we serve and having more healthcare choices is a healthy situation." Moss added, "Our hospitals and urgent care clinics are all over Fort Wayne and the surrounding areas. So, no matter where you live, you're never far from advanced healthcare."

LHN members include Bluffton Regional Medical Center, Dukes Memorial Hospital, Dupont Hospital, Kosciusko Community Hospital, Lutheran Children's Hospital, Lutheran Hospital, Lutheran Musculoskeletal Center, RediMed Rehabilitation Hospital of Fort Wayne and St. Joseph Hospital.

Consumers Life's Lafayette said his company's expansion in Indiana is far from over. "We will continue to aggressively search for more locations throughout the state, because the people of Indiana certainly deserve the economic benefits, which only competition can bring," said Lafayette.

Consumers Life Insurance Company is a subsidiary of Medical Mutual, the oldest and largest health insurance company based in Ohio. The company is licensed to sell health insurance products in 34 states and the District of Columbia. Consumers Life serves its customers through high-quality, affordable group and personal health insurance plans, and third-party administrative services to self-insured businesses. For more information, visit the company's Web site at ConsumersLife.com.