Since Blue Shield of California began its accountable care programs in 2010, it has generated more than $325 million in savings between all its provider affiliates combined, according to Kristen Miranda, Blue Shield's senior vice president of strategic partnerships and innovation.
"We have achieved solid results in the first five years of our ACO program, and we are just getting started. We continue to deepen and refine the work we are doing with our ACO providers to ensure our members receive the right care at the right time and in the right setting, all the while helping to make healthcare more sustainably affordable," Ms. Miranda said Tuesday at the Milken Institute's 2015 California Summit.
On top of those savings, the program has helped reduce hospital admissions by up to 13 percent and hospital bed days by up to 27 percent.
Blue Shield of California's first partnerships were established in 2010 with San Francisco-based Dignity Health and San Ramon, Calif.-based Hill Physicians. Its efforts now include 35 ACOs and span the state.
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