DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cigna-HealthSpring, a leading health service company serving Medicare and Medicaid customers, and Genesis Accountable Physician Network, the ACO subsidiary of Genesis Physicians Group (GPG), North Texas’ largest independent physician association (IPA), have announced a newly expanded agreement that focuses on greater collaboration and aligned incentives between the payer, patients, and their physicians to deliver more affordable yet higher quality care. The agreement, which became effective January 1, 2015 also gives Cigna-HealthSpring customers enhanced in-network access to GPG doctors and services.
“We’re excited to be partnering with Genesis Physicians Group to take the next step forward in meaningful health care collaboration. With this expanded agreement we will be able to better coordinate clinical resources and align incentives among health care stakeholders. I’m confident that together we can deliver improved and affordable health care to our Dallas-Fort Worth customers,” said Jay Hurt, president and general manager for Cigna-HealthSpring’s Texas market. “Our proven approach to collaborating with health care professionals establishes a seamless continuum of care and invests in the right resources that yield improved patient outcomes, lower costs and a better experience for all parties involved.”
“At Genesis, we work hard to support our independent member physicians as they navigate the ever-changing health care environment,” said Jim Walton, DO, president and CEO of GPG. “To that end, we are excited about our expanded relationship with Cigna-HealthSpring. We believe supporting physicians in transforming the business of medicine will produce extraordinary results for our patients.”
Patients whose physicians participate in Genesis Accountable Physician Network (GAPN), Genesis’ clinically integrated ACO, will receive population health management services through GenHealth. Using a foundation of well-being improvement, GenHealth aims to keep healthy people healthy, reduce health-related risks, and optimize care for those with chronic conditions. GenHealth provides vital infrastructure for population health management as well as clinical and lifestyle well-being improvement tools, services and interventions, such as smoking cessation, weight management, heart disease reversal and health risk coaching.
“Optimizing care through greater business and clinical integration is key, but successfully engaging patients in lifestyle changes that address the underlying causes of poor health, not just the symptoms, is equally essential,” said Ben R. Leedle, Jr., Healthways president and chief executive officer. “Health plans began this movement, employers refined it, and health systems and other provider groups are taking up the cause and uniquely positioned to finalize healthcare’s transformation by retiring ineffective business and clinical models. GenHealth is at the forefront of this movement given GPG’s leadership in accountable care and Healthways’ leadership in well-being improvement.”
Cigna-HealthSpring’s physician engagement model has pioneered ideas such as pay-for-performance and focuses on working alongside health care professionals to tailor incentives and solutions for the unique Medicare population. Results show that Cigna-HealthSpring customers are more likely to receive the preventive health care they need to stay healthy than other Medicare beneficiaries.
About Cigna-HealthSpring
Cigna-HealthSpring, a Cigna company (NYSE:CI), is one of the country's leading health plans focused on delivering care to the senior population, predominately through Medicare Advantage and other Medicare and Medicaid products. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Cigna-HealthSpring offers a national stand-alone prescription drug plan and operates health plans in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.cignahealthspring.com.
About Genesis Physicians Group
Based in Dallas, Texas, Genesis Physicians Group is North Texas’ largest independent physicians association. Through Genesis, physicians may remain in private practice while receiving the support necessary to succeed in the business of medicine. Genesis’ subsidiary, Genesis Accountable Physician Network (GAPN), offers members ACO contracts and serves to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of healthcare services through innovation and collaboration. Visit www.genesisdocs.org and www.genesisaco.com for more information.
About GenHealth
GenHealth, a joint venture between Genesis Accountable Physician Network and Healthways (NASDAQ: HWAY), a global wellbeing improvement leader, will offer physician-led clinical and lifestyle management tools and services to improve individual well-being and in turn prevent, postpone and reverse disease in the population as a whole, while lessening the cost of healthcare. Healthways provides the technological support and expertise necessary to build the robust population management platform for success under value-based contracts, while supplementing GAPN’s existing market offering with population health and well-being improvement services. Visit www.healthways.com for more information about wellbeing improvement.
About Healthways
Healthways (NASDAQ: HWAY) is the largest independent global provider of well-being improvement solutions. Dedicated to creating a healthier world one person at a time, the Company uses the science of behavior change to produce and measure positive change in well-being for our customers, which include employers, integrated health systems, hospitals, physicians, health plans, communities and government entities. We provide highly specific and personalized support for each individual and their team of experts to optimize each participant’s health and productivity and to reduce health-related costs. Results are achieved by addressing longitudinal health risks and care needs of everyone in a given population. The Company has scaled its proprietary technology infrastructure and delivery capabilities developed over 30 years and now serves approximately 68 million people on four continents. Learn more at www.healthways.com.
All Cigna products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation. The Cigna name, logos, and other Cigna marks are owned by Cigna Intellectual Property, Inc. This information is available for free in other languages. Please call our Customer Service number at 1-800-668-3813 (TTY 711), 7 days a week, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. The benefit information provided is a brief summary, not a complete description of benefits. For more information, contact the plan. Limitations, copayments, and restrictions may apply. Benefits, formulary, pharmacy network, provider network, premium and/or copayments/coinsurance may change on January 1 of each year. Cigna-HealthSpring is contracted with Medicare for PDP plans, HMO and PPO plans in select states, and with select State Medicaid programs. Enrollment in Cigna-HealthSpring depends on contract renewal.
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