Cigna and Chicago-based Rush Health have established a new collaborative care relationship similar to an accountable care organization.
The goal of the partnership is to improve access to care, enhance care coordination and lower costs for Cigna beneficiaries who receive care from Rush providers. It is part of Cigna's Collaborative Care portfolio, which is a value-based model that drives improvements with physician incentives.
The partnership will specifically aim to reduce missed health screenings and increase prescription refills, better leverage the primary care workforce in preventive health, and improve follow-up care for patients transitioning out of the hospital. To help coordinate this care, Rush nurse care coordinators will act as health navigators for patients. Cigna will reimburse Rush for these services and give providers the opportunity to earn bonus incentive payments for hitting quality and cost targets.
"Cigna has seen first-hand the value our collaborative care arrangements can bring to individuals as well as to physician practices," Peter McCauley Sr., MD, regional medical executive for Cigna's Northeast region, said in a statement. "Cigna currently has 150 collaborative care relationships in 29 states, and we're delighted that Rush Health is now one of our collaborative care arrangement partners."
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