Sign In
Upcoming Event
Free Newsletter
Capital BlueCross strikes accountable care deal with Lancaster General Health
Lenay Ruhl//February 9, 2017//
Capital BlueCross strikes accountable care deal with Lancaster General Health
Lenay Ruhl//February 9, 2017//
Listen to this articleThe Harrisburg-based insurer has launched an Accountable Care arrangement with LG Health. The arrangement is designed to reward health care providers based on quality measurements and patient satisfaction instead of paying them under a traditional fee-for-service method.
The arrangement also calls for tailoring preventive care services based on patients’ ages and health status. Patients who have complex medical conditions may receive additional education and wellness services.
Capital BlueCross launched its first Accountable Care arrangement in 2011. It now has similar arrangements with about a dozen organizations, from single specialty groups to large networks, such as Harrisburg-based PinnacleHealth System.
Capital BlueCross has found the arrangements are effective at improving patient health, according to Dr. Jennifer Chambers, senior vice president and chief medical officer at Capital BlueCross.
“With Lancaster General Health’s strong commitment to patient care, our customers will certainly benefit as we work together for improved health outcomes,” Chambers said.
LG Health also has entered into similar arrangements with other insurers, as the trend to reimburse physicians based on health outcomes instead of paying them per service is growing in the health care industry.
The Affordable Care Act, which contained language around improving care and compensating physicians based on quality instead of volume, has advanced the trend.
Private insurers, as well as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, are partnering with providers to find more efficient ways to treat patients and monitor health care trends, an industry concept known as population health management.
In January, Highmark Inc. launched a voluntary program called the True Performance Program, which is a new reimbursement model designed to reward physicians for the quality of care they provide rather than the volume of patients they see.
The program allows Highmark to improve data collection and compare health outcomes across its network, according to Dr. Mark Jacobson, medical director at Highmark.
