Dive Brief:
- Five of Hartford HealthCare's hospitals were left out of network when negotiations with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield did not come to fruition before the October 1 deadline. But right after the deadline, the two organizations announced they had reached a multi-year agreement.
- The agreement will augment the accountable care arrangement between the organizations, including: greater integration across the network with more coordinated management of patients; the creation of a chronic care program focused on complex patients; and integration of behavioral health and primary care coverage.
- The agreement is retroactive, so Anthem's patients will not have a break in coverage for Hartford providers. Both companies have released statements affirming that they are happy with the outcome of the negotiations.
Dive Insight:
After publicly calling out the two organizations for their inability to reach an agreement, the governor and lieutenant governor released a statement praising them for working together. "The issue of providing good and decent healthcare is too important to let profit margins get in the way, and by working to reach an agreement, both Anthem and Hartford Healthcare have made it clear they wouldn't allow that to happen," Gov. Malloy said in a statement.