Omaha Providers Form Health Plan Network, Move Toward Value-Based Pay

The Nebraska Medical Center and Methodist Health System, both based in Omaha, Neb., have joined forces to create a health plan network, according to an Omaha World-Herald report.

The Affordable Care Alliance, a corporation formed by the two healthcare organizations, manages the Joint Employee Health Plan Network, which will test ways of paying for care that link reimbursement to the overall health of the nearly 17,000 people (NMC and Methodist employees and their family members) who use the network, according to the report.

Previously, Methodist employees paid out-of-network rates for care at NMC hospitals and vice versa. Now, although the two organizations' health plans remain separate, both NMC and Methodist will be in-network providers for employees.

The network will aim to gradually transition the providers from fee-for-service to value-based payments, according to the report. Overall, the initiative aims to make care better, more efficient and less costly through population health management.

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