Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, the state’s leading health insurer, and Franciscan Alliance, a statewide health system that includes 13 hospitals and 750 physicians, announced the formation of an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) with the goal of improving collaboration, efficiency and ultimately, patient health. This agreement went into effect April 1, 2014 and involves approximately 63,000 Anthem members. This is Anthem’s first commercial ACO partnership in Indiana.
Under an accountable care arrangement, the physician is responsible for managing all aspects of a patient’s health--coordinating medical care, closely monitoring the patient in between visits, and ensuring necessary follow up care is received. The insurer pays the provider more for the medical services provided, and shares the savings that are realized when the patient stays healthy. The results are: lower costs, less absenteeism, higher worker productivity and more efficient use of provider resources.
