There’s a lot in the news about value-based care. But what is value-based care and why does it matter?
It’s no secret that our health care system needs to change. Costs have risen at an unsustainable rate, the quality of care is uneven and navigating care is often complex and inconvenient. The only sustainable way to fix the system is to fundamentally change the way it operates.
At Blue Cross NC, we believe value has these key components: cost, quality and customer experience. To address these dimensions of value, we’re focusing our efforts on:
Get a more in-depth look at what we mean by value-based care and the many ways we’re already making it a reality.
What’s possible when NC’s top health care systems and a leading insurer become allies, not adversaries?
When insurers and health care providers stop haggling over the numbers and commit to improving quality and patient experience at lower costs, something unique happens. We call it Blue Premier—and we believe it can be a model of what’s possible not just for our state, but the entire nation.
Physicians and providers have more freedom to do what they do best: care for their patients.
Doctors and hospitals earn incentives when they deliver high-quality care for our members. A win-win.
What truly sets Blue Premier apart is that participating systems will share in cost savings if they meet patient health benchmarks—and share in the losses if they fall short.
To start, five of the largest North Carolina hospital systems have signed Blue Premier agreements:
We hope to add other large health care systems and independent physician groups very soon.
Putting primary care in its place: the center.
Primary care should be the cornerstone of care. Yet somewhere along the way, it became more of a stepping stone. That’s an issue, because it costs far less to prevent health issues than to treat them once they develop or become more serious. This is backed by research which shows that areas in the U.S. and around the globe with strong primary care foundations result in better health and lower health care costs.
See how Blue Cross NC is taking an innovative, multifaceted approach to making primary care more robust across the state.
Mental health and physical health go hand in hand. Now, care does too.
One in five people lives with a mental health disorder.1 What’s more, mental health conditions are among the most common causes of disability.2
We’re excited to collaborate with Quartet, a pioneering health care technology company, to improve access to mental health care by integrating it within the primary care setting. This collaboration highlights Blue Cross NC’s commitment to building an innovative strategy to address mental health and substance use disorders. And we’re just getting started.
Did you know Blue Cross NC is the only large health insurance plan led by a practicing physician?
Here, Dr. Patrick Conway, CEO and President of Blue Cross NC, speaks to his unique perspective on what ails health care and his plans to enact real change.
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