Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey Expands Medical Home Program

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey today announced the expansion of its patient-centered medical home (PCMH) program. Under the expansion, an additional 45,000 Horizon BCBSNJ members, for a total of 200,000 members, will be served by medical home practices.

Early results of Horizon BCBSNJ medical homes indicate an 8 percent higher rate in improved diabetes control and a 6 percent higher rate in breast and cervical cancer screenings for medical home patients compared to patients in practices that are not participating in the medical home program. In addition, medical home practices obtained lower rates in avoidable emergency room visits and hospital readmissions for their patients. Over the long term, if these results hold and more Horizon BCBSNJ members are served by medical homes, it will work to slow the growth of health care costs and premium increases.

"Our commitment and goal is to transform how health care is delivered in New Jersey through incentives that reward quality of care, rather than volume of care, and slow the growth of health care costs. Our medical home program is making early progress toward those goals," said Robert A. Marino, Chairman and CEO, Horizon BCBSNJ.

The PCMH program began in January 2011 and the collaboration between Horizon BCBSNJ and its network physicians continues to grow. Approximately 700 Horizon BCBSNJ network physicians and health care professionals, at more than 300 locations, will be participating in medical homes as a result of this expansion.