INDIANAPOLIS & MISHAWAKA, Ind.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Saint Joseph Health System (SJHS) and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana announced today a new, multi-year provider network agreement. The agreement secures long-term access to affordable healthcare for St. Joseph patients who are covered by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield health plans.
As part of the agreement, the two organizations will accelerate their collaboration on several innovative initiatives, including advance data connectivity and value-based care (VBC) models designed to improve health outcomes and better control costs for care for SJHS patients covered by Anthem health plans.
SJHS and Anthem will incorporate Epic Payer Platform into regular operations, a technology that will streamline secure patient data flow between the organizations, bolster operational efficiency, accelerate approval processes, and improve patient outcomes. The platform’s Clinical Data Exchange simplifies processes and reduces administrative burden for medical teams, allowing doctors to spend less time doing paperwork and more time treating patients.
"We are excited to have reached an agreement with Anthem without disruptions in our mission to provide affordable and high-quality healthcare to our patients," said Chris Karam, President of Saint Joseph Health System. "We expect this agreement to positively impact health outcomes while also ensuring that our healthcare services remain accessible to a larger community."
While SJHS and Anthem have long partnered on VBC delivery and quality-based payment models, the new agreement expands that work to include Anthem’s advanced VBC methodology. This represents further progress in moving toward healthcare models that align payment with improved health outcomes and reduced cost trends.
"Indiana has some of the highest healthcare costs in the U.S., which has a negative impact on the state’s business climate and quality of life,” said Beth Keyser, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana. “As industry leaders we have an obligation to collaborate and find innovative solutions, such as this contract’s payment for value reimbursement arrangement, which we believe will reduce costs and improve the health of Hoosiers.”
About Trinity Health
Trinity Health is one of the largest not-for-profit, Catholic health care systems in the nation. It is a family of 121,000 colleagues and nearly 36,500 physicians and clinicians caring for diverse communities across 27 states. Nationally recognized for care and experience, the Trinity Health system includes 101 hospitals, 126 continuing care locations, the second largest PACE program in the country, 136 urgent care locations and many other health and well-being services. In fiscal year 2023, the Livonia, Michigan-based health system invested $1.5 billion in its communities in the form of charity care and other community benefit programs. For more information, visit us at www.trinity-health.org, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X (formerly known as Twitter).
About Saint Joseph Health System
Saint Joseph Health System (SJHS) is a not-for-profit healthcare system located in North Central Indiana that offers acute-based hospital care and post-acute services including: community wellness, home care, physician clinics, outpatient services, independent and assisted senior living, memory care and affordable senior apartments. SJHS includes: Mishawaka Medical Center; Plymouth Medical Center; Outpatient services of the Elm Road Medical Campus; Health Insurance Services; Saint Joseph Medical Group; VNA Home Care; the Senior Living Communities at St. Paul's, Holy Cross and Trinity Tower; and Saint Joseph PACE. SJHS serves more than 200,000 members of the Michiana community annually. SJHS is a Regional Health Ministry of Trinity Health in Livonia, Michigan.
About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc., an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. Additional information about Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana is available at www.anthem.com. Also, follow us on Twitter @AnthemBCBS_News and @AnthemBCBS or find us on Facebook.