Northwest Physicians Network and Cigna Start Accountable Care Program to Improve Health and Lower Costs
Cigna (NYSE:CI) and Northwest
Physicians Network (NPN), an independent physician association (IPA)
serving the south Puget Sound area, have launched a collaborative
accountable care initiative to improve patient access to
health care, enhance care coordination, and achieve the “triple
aim” of improved health, affordability and patient
experience. The program is effective April 1.
Collaborative accountable care is Cigna's approach to
accomplishing the same population health goals as accountable care
organizations, or ACOs. The program will benefit nearly 3,300
individuals covered by a Cigna health plan who receive care from NPN’s
150 primary care physicians. The program with NPN is Cigna's first
accountable care program in the Puget Sound area and in the state of
Washington.
“At NPN, we focus on coordinating the care of our patients to ensure
they get the right care at the right place at the right time,” said
Patricia Briggs, Northwest Physicians Network CEO. “Our commitment to
quality care that delivers superior results for our patients is
perfectly aligned with Cigna's commitment to changing the focus of
health care from volume of care to quality and value of care.”
“We’re aiming to fundamentally change the health care delivery system by
rewarding physicians for results,” said Mary O’Neill, M.D., Cigna’s
senior medical director for Washington. “A patient-centered system
that’s focused on prevention and wellness, combined with the right
incentives for physicians, will ultimately result in a healthier
population and lower medical costs. That’s good for individuals,
families, employers and doctors.”
Under the program, NPN monitors and coordinates all aspects of an
individual’s medical care. Patients continue to go to their current
physician and automatically receive the benefits of the program.
Individuals who are enrolled in a Cigna health plan and later choose to
seek care from a doctor in the medical group will also have access to
the benefits of the program. There are no changes in any plan
requirements regarding referrals to specialists. Patients most likely to
see the immediate benefits of the program are those who need help
managing chronic conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease.
Critical to the program’s benefits are registered nurses, employed by
NPN, who serve as clinical care coordinators and help patients with
chronic conditions or other health challenges navigate the health care
system. The care coordinators are aligned with a team of Cigna case
managers to ensure a high degree of collaboration between the medical
group and Cigna that ultimately results in a better experience for the
individual.
The care coordinators will enhance care by using patient-specific data
from Cigna to help identify patients being discharged from the hospital
who might be at risk for readmission, as well as patients who may be
overdue for important health screenings or who may have skipped a
prescription refill. The care coordinators are part of the physician-led
care team that helps patients get the follow-up care or screenings they
need, identifies potential complications related to medications and
helps prevent chronic conditions from worsening.
Care coordinators can also help patients schedule appointments, provide
health education and refer patients to Cigna's clinical support
programs, such as disease management programs for diabetes, heart
disease and other conditions; and lifestyle management programs, such as
programs for tobacco cessation, weight management and stress management.
Cigna will compensate NPN for the medical and care coordination services
it provides. Additionally, the medical group may be rewarded through a
“pay for value” structure if it meets targets for improving quality and
lowering medical costs.
The principles of the patient-centered medical home are the foundation
of Cigna's collaborative accountable care initiatives. Cigna then builds
on that foundation with a strong focus on collaboration and
communication with physician practices. Cigna is now engaged in nearly
60 collaborative accountable care initiatives in 24 states,
encompassing more than 650,000 Cigna customers and more than 23,000
doctors, including more than 11,000 primary care physicians and more
than 11,500 specialists. Cigna launched its first collaborative
accountable care program in 2008 and its goal is to have 100 of them in
place with one million customers in 2014.
About Northwest Physicians Network
Northwest Physicians Network is a full service independent practice
association that was incorporated in 1995. It has been active in managed
care contracts for Medicare and Medicaid populations since is inception.
There are about 500 providers representing 51 specialties and sub
specialties in the network, which spans a service area of about 1.3
million in the South Puget Sound area of Washington. NPN has been an
area leader in providing care management and care coordination services
by its nursing staff who work closely with provider offices and hospital
personnel. NPN has also sponsored innovative web-based services for its
providers, including registries for chronic care improvement and a
patient transition of care platform to support care coordination and
communication across the community. NPN has become involved in a variety
of shared savings programs with commercial payers since 2012. In 2013
NPN and the Franciscan Health System started a joint venture ACO named
the Franciscan Northwest Physicians Health Network with a large ACO
contract from CMS. To learn more about NPN visit www.npnwa.net.
About Cigna
Cigna Corporation (NYSE: CI) is a global health service company
dedicated to helping people improve their health, well-being and sense
of security. All products and services are provided exclusively by or
through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, including
Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Cigna Health and Life
Insurance Company, Life Insurance Company of North America and Cigna
Life Insurance Company of New York. Such products and services include
an integrated suite of health services, such as medical, dental,
behavioral health, pharmacy, vision, supplemental benefits, and other
related products including group life, accident and disability
insurance. Cigna maintains sales capability in 30 countries and
jurisdictions, and has approximately 78 million customer relationships
throughout the world. To learn more about Cigna®, including links to
follow us on Facebook or Twitter, visit www.cigna.com.
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