FARMINGTON — On March 26, the Maine Health Management Coalition announced that Franklin Memorial Hospital is a “tier 1” preferred hospital under the state of Maine employee health plan.

The coalition ranks hospitals in three weighted performance categories (care that experts recommend, systems to prevent medical errors, and patient experience) and in comparative costs.

Tier 1 preferred status means that patient co-pays are waived for some services for state employees and their dependants.

In addition, all FMH physician practices met or exceeded all the coaliton’s testing standards and also received a tier 1 preferred ranking. This means that there is no co-pay for primary care for state employees and their dependants under the health plan; however, for specialty care at Franklin Health dermatology, orthopaedics, surgery, women’s care, behavioral services, ear nose and throat, and child and adolescent developmental pediatrics the co-pay is $25.

For more information about the Maine employee health plan, visit http://www.maine.gov/beh/

Franklin Memorial Hospital is an affiliate of Franklin Community Health Network, a locally controlled, nonprofit, integrated network of rural health care providers.