Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Lifespan and Coastal Medical, all based in Providence, have entered into an accountable care agreement designed to improve the coordination of primary, specialty and inpatient care.
Here are three things to know about the agreement.
1. Through the agreement, providers are offered incentives that reward enhanced care management and more efficient delivery of care for the 45,000 BCBSRI members who go to Coastal providers for primary care, according to a news release.
2. As part of the agreement, Coastal plans to extend existing condition-specific programs for patients with congestive heart failure, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and integrate those programs with existing systems of care at Lifespan.
3. Al Kurose, MD, president and CEO of Coastal, touted the agreement in a prepared statement. "Coastal Medical's primary care offices have been recognized nationally for their success in delivering high-quality care that emphasizes coordination of the services each patient receives beyond the walls of the primary care office" he said. "Under this new agreement, Coastal and Lifespan and Blue Cross will be able to take care coordination to the next level and provide a more seamless experience of care for patients, especially those with complex needs."
More articles on accountable care:
12 accountable care, shared savings agreements in February
Anthem, Franciscan ACO reduced care costs by $22M
13 rural hospitals to form ACO