Payer Updates:
Horizon BCBS Pays Practices to be Proactive Rather Than Reactive
Published on Mon Jan 17, 2011
Plus, Massachusetts BCBS members may pay more for certain hospitals.Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield in New Jersey has started a program with 63 primary care physicians to provide "patientcentered medical homes" to their patients. Rather than reimburse the doctors for treating sick patients, the insurance company will pay the participating physicians a fee for coordinating patient care, which includes practices such as scheduling wellness visits and tracking patient health.In addition, the payer will offer additional payment incentives if the physicians demonstrate efforts that ensure that more patients are getting timely screenings. Horizon is placing "population care coordinators" at the participating practice offices to provide clinical and administrative support for this program.According to the Wall Street Journal, the goal is "to cut costs and keep up with changes in the health-care industry" by changing how primary care physicians are paid, by providing incentives to monitor patients between visits.In other news:Blue Cross [...]