The following are 70 accountable care and similar collaborative agreements that have been announced so far this year. The list is organized by month beginning with the most recent.
June
1. UCSF Medical Group, Brown & Toland Physicians, Sutter Health Foundations Joins Anthem's ACO
Anthem Blue Cross announced that the University of California, San Francisco Medical Group, Brown & Toland Physicians, and various medical foundations linked to Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health have agreed to join regional Anthem accountable care organizations that focus on patients with two or more chronic conditions. Each entity has its own separate ACO arrangement with Anthem. The ACOs give enrollees access to a personalized health team including a physician, care coordinator and other practitioners. The ACOs are available to fully ensured Anthem PPO patients with multiple chronic conditions.
2. Aetna, WESTMED Medical Group Enter a Medicare Collaborative Care Agreement
Aetna and Purchase, N.Y.-based WESTMED Medical Group entered into a Medicare collaborative care agreement to support more than 650 Aetna Medicare Advantage members. Under the agreement, Aetna nurse case managers work as a team with WESTMED physicians to coordinate care for patients with the goal of improving their health outcomes.
3. NYUPN Clinically Integrated Network Contracts With UnitedHealthcare
NYUPN Clinically Integrated Network contracted with UnitedHealthcare to provide coordinated care to more than 70,000 New York residents. Those residents have access to more than 1,700 healthcare professionals affiliated with NYU Langone Medical Center and the University Physicians Network.
4. 5 Missouri Hospitals and Health Systems Form the Health Network of Missouri
Five Missouri hospitals and health systems — Bothwell Regional Health Center in Sedalia, Hannibal (Mo.) Regional Healthcare System, University of (Columbia) Missouri Health Care, Capital Region Medical Center in Jefferson City and Lake Regional Health System in Osage Beach — formed the Health Network of Missouri, a collaborative care network to improve access to care for patients in central and northeast Missouri. Under the agreement, the five healthcare organizations remain independent while working towards common goals with the other health systems through the use of task forces comprised of physicians and other leaders.
5. Premier Patient Health Care, Encompass Home Health & Hospice Form Accountable Care Partnership
Premier Patient Health Care, an accountable care organization, and Encompass Home Health & Hospice, both based in Dallas, formed an accountable care partnership. Premier PHC serves over 20,000 Medicare patients in Oklahoma and Texas. Under the accountable care agreement, Encompass helps provide ACO patients with coordinated care, with the goal of improving quality of care, while cutting costs.
6. Aetna, Mercy Health Form ACO
Aetna and Cincinnati, Ohio-based Mercy Health announced the formation of an accountable care organization, which is Aetna's first commercial ACO in the Cincinnati area. The organizations also introduced Aetna Whole HealthSM, a collection of benefits plans that provide Aetna members access to coordinated care from 350 primary care physicians and 2,400 specialists, in the Cincinnati area.
7. Boeing Selects Providence Health & Services, Swedish Health Services, UW Medicine for Preferred Partnership Option
Boeing selected two Seattle-based accountable care organizations — one affiliated with Providence Health & Services and Swedish Health Services, the other with UW Medicine —for its new Preferred Partnership option for employees. Beginning this fall, 27,000 Boeing employees in the Puget Sound area and about 3,000 retirees can choose either ACO for their personal and family health plans.
8. LHS Health Network Enters ACO with Aetna
LHS Health Network, network of physician practices, hospitals and other healthcare providers affiliated with Lourdes Health System in Camden, N.J., entered into an accountable care organization agreement with Aetna. The ACO agreement covers 20,000 Aetna members. The payer and LHS Health Network also formed a Medicare provider collaboration model, which serves more than 2,000 Aetna Medicare members.
9. UC San Diego Health System, Humana Form Medicaid Advantage ACO
UC San Diego Health System and Humana partnered to form an accountable care organization aimed at serving Humana Medicare Advantage members in San Diego. The accountable care agreement includes value-based incentives for physicians. The incentives are tied to physician performance and their ability to meet quality measures.
10. Aetna, Fresenius Medical Care Enter Collaborative Care Agreement
Waltham, Mass.-based Fresenius Medical Care and Aetna entered into a collaborative care agreement aimed at improving the quality of care for Aetna's Medicare Advantage members who have end-stage renal disease. Under the agreement, Aetna nurse case managers work with the staff at FMC on quality and healthcare management to cut costs while improving health outcomes for ESRD patients receiving dialysis.
11. Anthem, HealthCare Partners Form ACO
Anthem Blue Cross and Torrance, Calif.-based HealthCare Partners, a physician group, announced the formation of an accountable care organization. Under the ACO, the two organizations provide coordinated care to 55,000 patients.
12. Tenet Healthcare, Florida Blue Enter ACO Agreement
Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare and Florida Blue, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield plan of Florida, entered into an accountable care organization agreement. The agreement covers nearly 10,000 Florida Blue members, who now have in-network access to Tenet's Florida-based ACO, the Advantage Health Network. The ACO includes more than 900 physicians, 10 acute-care hospitals and 36 outpatient centers in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.
13. Bellin Health Collaborates with ACO Blue Priority
Green Bay, Wis.-based Bellin Health announced a collaboration with Blue Priority — Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield's ACO in Wisconsin. Through the collaboration, Bellin focuses on using care coordination to improve patient outcomes. Bellin physicians are rewarded for meeting quality benchmarks and improving patient care.
14. Medica, Mayo Clinic Health System Announce Partnership
Minneapolis-based Medica and Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic Health System announced they are partnering to improve the quality of care and cut costs for patients in northwestern Wisconsin. Under the agreement, Medica offers reduced costs for group coverage plans for patients who receive care at Mayo Clinic Health System. The two organizations work together to manage patients' total cost by providing coordinated care from a whole team of providers.
May
15. St Clair Hospital, Washington Health System Announce Affiliation With Highmark
Mt. Lebanon, Wash.-based St. Clair Hospital and Washington Health System in Vancouver, Wash., announced their affiliation with health insurer Highmark's patient-centered medical home model that rewards physicians based on performance. Under the model, patients receive team-based care, with physicians, nurses and other staff participating in the patients' care.
16. Baptist Health System, HealthTexas Medical Group, Aetna Announce Accountable Care Collaboration
San Antonio-based Baptist Health System, HealthTexas Medical Group and Aetna announced an accountable care collaboration and the introduction of the Aetna Whole HealthSM product in the San Antonio area. Through the accountable care organization, Baptist Health System and HealthTexas Medical Group provide healthcare services to Aetna members through a combined five hospitals, 42 primary care offices and more than 900 physicians in the San Antonio area.
17. Illinois Approves Second Group of Medicaid Accountable Care Entities
The state of Illinois approved a second round of Medicaid accountable care entities, or ACEs, including Evanston-based NorthShore University HealthSystem, Arlington Heights-based Alexian Brothers Health System and a group of hospitals led by St. Bernard Hospital in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood.
18. Arizona Care Network, UnitedHealthcare Announces ACO
Arizona Care Network, formed through collaboration between San Francisco-based Dignity Health and Phoenix-based Abrazo Health, and UnitedHealthcare announced they are forming an accountable care organization. Under the agreement, Arizona Care Network and its affiliated physicians provide coordinated care to nearly 15,000 Phoenix-area members of UnitedHealthcare's employer-sponsored health plans.
19. Kindred Healthcare Partners With Silver State ACO
Louisville, Ky.-based Kindred Healthcare announced a strategic partnership and ownership with Las Vegas-based Silver State Accountable Care Organization, which was formed in 2013 to serve the Medicare fee-for-service patients in Southern Nevada through a collaborative effort with independent physicians, physician groups and other healthcare providers covering over 10,000 lives.
20. Northeast Medical Group, Aetna Sign Collaborative Care Agreement
New Haven, Conn.-based Northeast Medical Group, a physician group affiliated with Yale New Haven Health signed a collaborative care agreement with Aetna. Under the new collaboration agreement, Northeast Medical Group and its physicians are rewarded by Aetna for meeting quality and efficiency measures.
April
21. Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, BCBSNC Announce Affiliation
Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina plan to pilot programs to provide value-based care while improving outcomes and costs through the new Center for Healthcare Innovation. The Center for Healthcare Innovation brings together BCBSNC's data analytics capabilities with Wake Forest Baptist's ability to pilot alternative sites of care in an open collaboration
22. Santa Clara County Individual Practice Association, Aetna Announce Partnership
Aetna and San Mateo, Calif.-based Santa Clara County Individual Practice Association, a physician network, announced they are partnering to form an accountable care association. The ACO provides Aetna members access to coordinated care from 800 SCCIPA physicians.
23. Baptist Health System, HealthTexas Medical Group, Aetna Announce Accountable Care Collaboration
San Antonio-based Baptist Health System, Dallas-based HealthTexas Medical Group and Aetna announced an accountable care collaboration and the introduction of the Aetna Whole Health product in the San Antonio area. Aetna Whole Health is a collection of benefits plans that provide members with access to coordinated care from physicians and facilities in the Baptist Health System and the HealthTexas Medical Group. Under the ACO agreement, Baptist Health System and HealthTexas Medical Group provide service to Aetna members through a combined five hospitals, 42 primary care offices and more than 900 physicians in the San Antonio area.
24. Tandigm Health Partners with Philadelphia Physicians
A new joint venture between Philadelphia-based Independence Blue Cross and DaVita HealthCare Partners, called Tandigm Health, partnered with physicians in the Philadelphia area to help them provide better coordinated care while lowering the cost of healthcare in the region. DaVita HealthCare Partners is the parent company of Denver-based DaVita, a leading provider of kidney care services, and Torrance, Calif.-based HealthCare Partners, an operator of medical groups and physician networks. Tandigm Health hopes to have a network of 300 primary care physicians when it officially launches Jan. 1, 2015.
25. Holy Name Medical Center Hospital/Physicians ACO, BCBSNJ Announce ACO
Teaneck, N.J-based Holy Name Medical Center, through its Holy Name Medical Center Hospital/Physicians ACO, and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey announced the formation of a new ACO. The ACO is designed to improve patient care coordination and the quality of care for more than 3,000 Horizon BCBSNJ members who receive care from more than 80 Holy Name physicians practicing at approximates 22 office locations.
26. Anthem Blue Cross, MemorialCare Medical Foundation Form ACO
Anthem Blue Cross and MemorialCare Medical Foundation, the physician division of MemorialCare Health System in Fountain Valley, Calif., partnered to form an accountable care organization focused on providing coordinated treatment for Orange County, Calif., patients with chronic diseases. Under the agreement, Anthem PPO members receive care that is organized by teams of physicians, registered nurses and other practitioners who coordinate medical services based on patients' needs and also help guide patients through the healthcare system.
27. Integrated Health Partners, Cigna Announce Collaborative Care Initiative
Hartford, Conn.-based Integrated Care Partners, Hartford (Conn.) HealthCare's physician-led clinical integration organization, and Cigna announced a collaborative care initiative. The collaborative care program benefits nearly 16,000 individuals covered by a Cigna health plan who are receiving care from more than 1,200 Integrated Care Partners primary care physicians and specialists.
28. Holy Cross Physician Partners, Cigna Announce Collaborative Care Initiative
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Holy Cross Physician Partners and Cigna announced the launch of a collaborative care initiative to improve patient access to healthcare and enhance care coordination. The collaborative care agreement benefits nearly 5,000 individuals covered by a Cigna health plan who receive care from approximately 300 Holy Cross primary care physicians and specialists in south Florida.
29. Iowa Signs Agreements with University of Iowa Health Alliance, UnityPoint Health Partners
The state of Iowa signed agreements with University of Iowa Health Alliance and UnityPoint Health Partners, both based in Des Moines, Iowa, to improve health outcomes for thousands of residents on the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan, the state's Medicaid program. Under the agreements, University of Iowa Health Alliance and UnityPoint Health Partners, assume financial risk to deliver high-quality outcomes for Iowa Wellness Plan members.
30. Humana, Mercy Announce Partnership
Humana and Chesterfield, Mo.-based Mercy announced the two organizations a partnership aimed at developing an accountable care organization intended to improve health outcomes for Humana Medicare Advantage members in southwest Missouri. Along with coordinated care from the Mercy team, Humana Medicare Advantage members benefit from Mercy's larger network whenever they travel in Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas and Oklahoma. Under the agreement, Humana Medicare Advantage members' medical records are instantly available at Mercy's 33 hospitals, 700 outpatient facilities and to more than 2,100 physicians.
31. Aetna, Medical Professional Services Announce Collaborative Care Agreement
Aetna and Middletown, Conn.-based Medical Professional Services announced a collaborative care agreement that is an enhancement to their independent practice association agreement in Connecticut. Under the collaboration agreement, Aetna rewards MPS and MPS physicians for quality, efficiency and patient satisfaction. Aetna also provides funds for MPS' care coordination personnel and health IT that will benefit Aetna members. Nearly 15,000 Aetna members covered under fully insured and self-funded plans in Connecticut who have sought care from MPS providers in the past 24 months are included in the new program.
March
32. Florida Blue, Holy Cross Physician Partners Announce Affiliation
Florida Blue and Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Holy Cross Physician Partners announced an affiliation in which the physician group provides primary care services for members of Florida Blue Medicare plans in Broward and Palm Beach counties, which expands their existing accountable care agreement. In 2013, HCPP and Florida Blue formed one of the state's first accountable care organizations. The newest agreement between the two organizations extends HCPP's services to more Florida Blue members
33. WellPoint, Emory Healthcare Announce Partnership
WellPoint, the nation's second-largest health insurer, and Emory Healthcare in Atlanta agreed to partner on value-based reimbursement models and risk-based payments for elderly patients. Under the agreement, Emory Healthcare implements WellPoint subsidiary CareMore Health System's clinical care model for the health system's Medicare Advantage population. CareMore, which was acquired by WellPoint in 2011, operates both health plans and a medical group. Emory Healthcare includes six hospitals and 1,800 physicians.
34. Health4, Humana Announce Accountable Care Agreement
Columbus, Ohio-based Health4 and Humana announced a new accountable care agreement that will serve Humana's 41,000 Medicare Advantage members in central Ohio. Under the terms of the agreement, Humana offers plan designs built around the new ACO and Health4's 34-county network. The network is comprised of more than 2,300 physicians.
35. Wentworth-Douglas Hospital, Southern New Hampshire Health System, Concord Hospital, Elliot Hospital Form ACO
Dover, N.H.-based Wentworth-Douglas Hospital and Southern (Nashua) New Hampshire Health System joined Concord (N.H.) Hospital and Manchester, N.H.-based Elliot Hospital in an accountable care organization. Southern New Hampshire Health System and Wentworth-Douglas Hospital are now part of N.H. Accountable Care Partners, which was previously known as the Concord Elliot ACO.
36. Florida Blue, Baptist Health Quality Network Announce Accountable Care Agreement
Florida Blue and Miami-based Baptist Health Quality Network announced an accountable care agreement. Baptist Health and Florida Blue previously created a cancer treatment accountable care organization, and the newer agreement expands the ACO to Baptist Health's other programs. The expansion adds 679 physicians to the ACO.
37. Florida Blue, Medical Specialists of Palm Beach Extend Collaborative Care Agreement
Florida Blue and Lake Worth, Fla.-based Medical Specialists of Palm Beach formed a jointly held management services organization to extend their collaborative care agreement to provide enhanced coordinated care services for members of Florida Blue Medicare HMO plans in Palm Beach County.
38. Horizon BCBS, Hackensack-Physician Hospital Alliance Announce Collaborative Accountable Care Agreement
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield in New Jersey and Hackensack-Physician Hospital Alliance, Hackensack (N.J) University Medical Center's accountable care organization, announced a collaborative accountable care agreement. Under the agreement, Horizon BCBS provides care coordination payments to the ACO in exchange for the affiliated practices taking on additional accountability for improving the patient experience as well as controlling the cost of care for Horizon BCBS patients. The ACO and its affiliated practices share in the resulting financial savings. More than 450 primary care physicians practicing at approximately 50 practice locations are participating in this ACO, covering more than 16,000 people.
39. Physician Organization of Michigan ACO Affiliates With University of Michigan Health System, Eight Physician Groups
The Physician Organization of Michigan ACO, a Medicare Shared Savings Program ACO formed as a joint venture between the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor and eight physician groups, adding more than 2,900 physicians to its network. About 900 other U-M Health System providers also joined POM ACO. The move more than doubles the size of the ACO, which previously included roughly 1,900 providers. POM ACO now includes 5,700 providers and covers the lives of about 120,000 Medicare beneficiaries.
40. Blue Shield of California, San Ramon, Hill Physicians Medical Group, Dignity Health Form Accountable Care Initiative
Blue Shield of California, San Ramon, Calif.-based Hill Physicians Medical Group and Dignity Health in San Francisco announced a three-year accountable care initiative to provide care to 14,600 Blue Shield HMO members in San Joaquin County. The ACO is the third such arrangement between these three organizations. They have already established ACOs in San Francisco and Sacramento, Calif.
41. SSM Health Care, Anthem BCBS Start Accountable Care Relationship
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Missouri announced St. Louis-based SSM Health Care joined its patient-centered care program, Enhanced Personal Health Care. Under this model, SSM Health Care helps reduce duplicative tests and services by sharing patient data with Anthem and other participating providers resulting in more timely care for patients and allowing SSM Health Care to share in savings that are made possible by improved care coordination.
42. Anthem BCBS, Franciscan Alliance Sign Accountable Care Contract
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield signed a new accountable care contract with the Mishawaka, Ind.-based Franciscan Alliance hospital system. The contract involves all 11 of Franciscan's hospitals in Indiana and indicates that Franciscan is accountable for the cost and quality of care provided to almost 63,000 patients who are insured with Anthem.
43. Vermont Rolls Out Medicaid ACOs
Vermont Gov. Pete Shumlin and healthcare leaders in the state unveiled three Medicaid accountable care organizations. The three Vermont ACOs are OneCare Vermont, Vermont Collaborative Physicians and Community Health ACO. The groups are already participants in the Medicare Shared Savings Program, but are expanding to include Medicaid and commercial insurers.
44. Blue Shield of California, EPIC Health Plan Announce Accountable Care Initiative
Blue Shield of California and EPIC Health Plan, part of EPIC Management, announced a two-year accountable care initiative to provide integrated, cost-efficient care to Blue Shield HMO members in southern California. The new accountable care organization includes six medical groups managed by EPIC Management and provides coordinated care for approximately 27,300 members.
45 Aetna, Atlantic ACO Announce Accountable Care Agreement
Aetna and Atlantic Accountable Care Organization, a partner of Atlantic Health System, announced an accountable care agreement that improves the delivery and coordination of patient care for Aetna members in New Jersey. The Atlantic ACO includes more than 1,700 primary care physicians and specialists and delivers a better patient experience for more than 28,000 Aetna members.
46. Horizon BCBS of New Jersey, JFK Medical Center Announce ACO
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and JFK Medical Center announced the launch of a collaborative accountable care organization to improve care and patient outcomes for more than 5,000 Horizon BCBS of New Jersey members. The agreement includes more than 140 physicians and 50 practice locations in central New Jersey.
47. Humana, St. Elizabeth Healthcare, The Christ Hospital Network Sign Accountable Care Agreement
Humana signed accountable care agreements with two provider organizations: St. Elizabeth Healthcare in Edgewood, Ky., and The Christ Hospital Health Network in Cincinnati. Under the agreements, Humana offers plans built around St. Elizabeth's hospitals and facilities in northern Kentucky and The Christ Hospital and its physician network in greater Cincinnati. Both agreements serve Humana Medicare Advantage members in the health system's respective markets.
48. Baton Rouge Clinic, Cigna Announce Accountable Care Initiative
Baton Rouge (La.) Clinic, a multispecialty group with about 90 physicians, launched a collaborative accountable care initiative with Cigna. As part of the CAC initiative, registered nurses employed by the Baton Rouge Clinic serve as care coordinators and work with a team of Cigna case managers to collaborate and coordinate patient care. The care coordinators work with a physician-led care team to help patients receive proper follow-up care and can also schedule appointments, provide health education and point patients toward Cigna's clinical support systems. Baton Rouge Clinic physicians are rewarded for improving patient health and lowering medical costs under the agreement.
49. 5 Chicago Health Systems Get Initial OK for Medicaid ACO Contracts
Five healthcare organizations in the Chicago area received preliminary approval to launch Medicaid accountable care entities.
The five systems that made the first "cut" include:
• Advocate Health Care (Downers Grove, Ill.)
• Loyola University Health System (Maywood, Ill.)
• Presence Health (Chicago)
• Access Community Health Network (Chicago)
• Accountable Care Chicago (a joint effort by Chicago's Swedish Covenant Hospital, Norwegian American Hospital and Mercy Hospital & Medical Center)
February
50. Cigna, PremierCare Northwest Launch Accountable Care Initiative
Cigna launched its first collaborative accountable care initiative in Arkansas with Springdale-based PremierCare Northwest, a provider-owned network and collaborative effort between physicians and Northwest Health System. The CAC covers about 5,000 Cigna members who receive care from PremierCare's more than 145 primary care and specialty physicians
51. Miramont Family Medicine, Humana Announce Accountable Care Agreement
Miramont Family Medicine, a medical group practice based in Denver, and Humana announced an accountable care agreement for Humana's Medicare Advantage HMO members. The agreement covers patients who receive treatment at any of Miramont's seven clinics in the Denver area and involves a pay-for-value system, with incentives tied to quality outcomes and care coordination. Through the partnership, providers and Humana use population health management tools like predictive analytics, disease management and wellness programs.
52. Esse Health, Anthem BCBS Missouri Start Accountable Care Relationship
Esse Health, a St. Louis-based independent physician group, and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Missouri partnered for an accountable care model to improve outcomes and lower healthcare costs. Under the agreement, Anthem supports care coordination among its physician offices. Esse Health providers share in savings achieved by improved care coordination, like less duplicated services and more timely care.
53. Beacon Health, Cigna Launch Accountable Care Initiative
Brewer, Maine-based Beacon Health, a subsidiary of Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems, and Cigna launched a collaborative accountable care initiative. Beacon Health uses registered nurse care coordinators who are aligned with Cigna case managers to better coordinate care. Providers are reimbursed in a pay-for-value structure if they meet certain quality and cost goals. The CAC initiative includes about 7,000 Cigna beneficiaries who receive care from Beacon Health's 600 physicians.
54. Horizon BCBS New Jersey, LHS Health Network Launch ACO
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey launched an accountable care organization with LHS Health Network, a network of physician practices, hospitals and other healthcare providers affiliated with Lourdes Health System in Camden, N.J. The ACO covers more than 17,000 Horizon BCBSNJ members and includes 90 primary care physicians.
55. 24 Michigan Hospitals, Blue Cross Reach Value-Based Contracts
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, the largest health insurer in the state, expanded its pay-for-performance initiative by nailing down value-based reimbursement contracts with 24 hospitals. Midland-based MidMichigan Health's four hospitals, Dearborn-based Oakwood Healthcare's four hospitals and Bostford Hospital in Farmington Hills signed agreements with Blue Cross. Three hospitals within Royal Oak-based Beaumont Health System and 12 hospitals within St. Louis-based Ascension Health also expanded their arrangements with the insurer.
56. Memorial Healthcare System, Florida Blue Sign Clinical Integration Agreement
Memorial Healthcare System in Hollywood, Fla., signed a clinical integration agreement with payer Florida Blue to manage costs and improve quality outcomes.
The agreement coordinates care between Florida Blue, Memorial Healthcare's hospitals and Memorial Health Network, a subsidiary of Memorial Healthcare that includes 1,073 physicians.
57. Texas Health Resources, Texas Health Physicians Group Partner With Cigna
Arlington-based Texas Health Resources and Texas Health Physicians Group partnered with Cigna to form a collaborative accountable care initiative. The CAC initiative, which launched includes more than 17,000 Cigna health plan members.
January
58. Cigna Announces 2 New Accountable Care Initiatives
Health insurer Cigna announced two new collaborative accountable care initiatives: one in Illinois and another in Tennessee. In Illinois, Cigna partnered with Adventist Health Network, a clinically integrated network of providers who collaborate with Adventist Midwest Health. Adventist Midwest Health is comprised of four hospitals in the Chicago suburbs. The partnership covers more than 5,000 Cigna members.
59. 9 Rural Providers in Michigan, California and Indiana Form ACO
Provider organizations in nine rural communities in Indiana, Michigan and California bonded together as the National Rural ACO and joined the Medicare Shared Savings Program as an ACO.
Members of the NRACO include the following:
• Margaret Mary Community Hospital (Batesville, Ind.)
• Memorial Hospital (Logansport, Ind.)
• Alcona Health Centers (Lincoln, Mich.)
• McKenzie Health System (Sandusky, Mich.)
• Mammoth Hospital (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.)
• Northern Inyo Hospital (Bishop, Calif.)
• Southern Inyo Healthcare District (Lone Pine, Calif.)
• Ridgecrest (Calif.) Regional Hospital
• John C. Fremont Healthcare District (Mariposa, Calif.)
60. Urgent Care Group Joins Wilmington Health's ACO
Medac, an urgent care provider organization, and Wilmington (N.C.) Health announced a new affiliation. As part of the partnership, Medac and its urgent care centers around Wilmington, N.C., becomes part of Physicians Healthcare Collaborative, a Medicare ACO sponsored by Wilmington Health. Additionally, Wilmington Health extends its electronic health record and other infrastructure to Medac.
61. Wellmark BCBS Adds 3 Physician Groups to ACO Contracts
Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield signed ACO contracts with three physician groups in Iowa. The Iowa Clinic in West Des Moines, the McFarland Clinic in Ames and Family Health Care of Siouxland, with locations around Sioux City, all signed ACO contracts with Wellmark. Wellmark covers lives in Iowa and South Dakota. Through the contracts, the physician groups are responsible for managing a population of patients, and Wellmark will provide financial rewards to the providers if they meet quality and cost goals.
62. Emory Healthcare, BCBS of Georgia Form ACO
Atlanta-based Emory Healthcare signed an ACO agreement with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia and Blue Cross Blue Shield Healthcare Plan of Georgia. Through the partnership, Emory is responsible for the cost and quality of the full scope of health services provided to BCBSGa members. Both Emory and BCBSGa are responsible for enhancing care coordination and quality and holding down costs.
63. Physician Health Partners, Cigna Sign Accountable Care Deal
Denver-based Physician Health Partners, a management services organization owned and operated by primary care physicians, partnered with Cigna for a collaborative accountable care initiative. The program includes physicians affiliated with Primary Physician Partners and South Metro Primary Care — Denver-area groups that are part of Physician Health Partners.
64. Horizon BCBS New Jersey Adds 300 Physicians to Medical Home Project
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey added 300 physicians to its Patient-Centered Medical Home Program, bringing the total number of participating physicians to more than 1,300. The program covers more than 330,000 patients at more than 450 office locations. As part of the PCMH Program, practices can receive outcomes-based or shared-savings payments if they meet cost, patient experience and patient outcome goals.
65. Cigna Launches 3 New ACOs
Cigna announced three new collaborative accountable care initiatives: two in Connecticut and one in New Hampshire. The payer partnered with Core Physicians, a multispecialty group with more than 120 physicians in Exeter, N.H., PriMed, a multispecialty group with more than 120 physicians based in Shelton, Conn., and The Greenwich (Conn.) Physicians Association, an independent practice association with 106 physician members.
66. Valley Preferred, Aetna Establish Accountable Care Arrangement
Valley Preferred, a provider-owned preferred provider organization aligned with Lehigh Valley Health Network in Allentown, Pa., formed a new accountable care agreement with Aetna. Valley Preferred contracts with health insurance companies and includes more than 4,200 physicians and 18 hospitals.
67. First Coast Health Alliance, Florida Blue Form Accountable Care Agreement
First Coast Health Alliance, a physician hospital organization established by St. Augustine, Fla.-based Flagler Hospital that includes 188 physicians, partnered with Florida Blue for an accountable care program. The program has a value-based payment structure and aims to reward transparency, care coordination, consumer empowerment and reduced redundancy.
68. Dartmouth-Hitchcock ACO Adds 3 Hospitals
Three hospitals in New Hampshire joined Lebanon, N.H.-based Dartmouth-Hitchcock Pioneer ACO, and the ACO has been renamed "allwell." The three new ACO members are Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, St. Joseph Healthcare in Nashua and Exeter (N.H.) Health Resources. The ACO covers 46,700 Medicare patients and has five member organizations.
69. Partners in Care, Horizon BCBS of New Jersey Launch ACO
Partners in Care, an East Brunswick, N.J.-based independent physician association and healthcare management company, launched an ACO with Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. The ACO covers about 20,000 BCBSNJ members. Fifty-one physician practices throughout the state are participating.
70. 2 Physician Groups, UnitedHealthcare Form ACO
UnitedHealthcare formed an ACO with Primary Physician Partners and South Metro Primary Care, two groups with more than 300 total primary care providers managed by Physician Health Partners in Denver. More than 20,000 patients who are enrolled in UnitedHealthcare's employer-sponsored health benefit plans have access to the ACO. Providers in the ACO are eligible for payment incentives based on improvements in metrics such as hospital readmissions, disease management and prevention, patient safety, total cost savings and patient satisfaction scores.