Dive Brief:
- WellPoint's CareMore unit, which operates Medicare Advantage plans for the company, has signed an agreement with Emory Healthcare, a large Atlanta-based health system, to collaboratively manage about 7,500 Medicare Advantage patients.
- Executives from CareMore will work with Emory to implement a version of CareMore's clinical model, which includes greater emphasis on preventive care.
- Emory CEO John Fox said the deal will help his institution move away from fee-for-service payments and towards quality-based reimbursements.
Dive Insight:
Across the country, health insurers are implementing their versions of an accountable care model. Not only does this make sense from a clinical level, as its emphasis on primary care is something we can all agree on, but it preemptively strikes a blow for control by the health plans; If you were a health plan, would you rather work collaboratively with health systems and their partners or have an ACO, already formed, come to you and start making demands?