Cleveland-based University Hospitals Accountable Care Organization and health insurer Cigna have launched a collaborative accountable care initiative, the payer's version of an ACO.
University Hospitals' CAC initiative with Cigna will include about 10,000 people covered by a Cigna health plan who receive care from UH's roughly 1,500 employed physicians. UH first launched an ACO for its employees in 2011, and the system also has a pediatric ACO and Medicare ACO.
As part of the deal, UHACO registered nurses and medical assistants will serve as clinical care coordinators and help chronic disease patients manage their care. The care coordinators will work with Cigna case managers to better coordinate care, according to the news release. Cigna will also provide the care coordinators with patient-specific data.
No information on the agreement's reimbursement structure was released.
Cigna has 75 CAC initiatives in 26 states.
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