Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Aurora Health Care will launch Blue Priority, a pilot project designed to provide a high-quality health care experience that improves outcomes and controls costs.
Blue Priority is a new network offering from Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield built around Aurora Health Care’s 15 hospitals and more than 1,500 physicians, as well as its clinics, pharmacies, surgery centers and other services throughout eastern Wisconsin.
Through Blue Priority, the two organizations will exchange clinical health data, co-manage patient cases and establish quality benchmarks in order to enhance health outcomes while eliminating inefficiencies.
“Blue Priority is an important part of our ongoing work to invest in the doctor-patient relationship and help people live their healthiest lives possible,” said Larry Schreiber, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. “By combining the strengths of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Aurora Health Care we believe we can not only improve the quality, safety and value of health care, but also do so at a lower price point than many other products in the market.”
The Blue Priority network will be available Nov. 1.
“Blue Priority and our partnership with Anthem will give Wisconsin employers and their employees the opportunity to not only access quality care, but also care that is coordinated to improve outcomes, while eliminating waste and curbing costs,” said Nick Turkal, M.D., president and CEO of Milwaukee-based Aurora Health Care.
Blue Priority features financial risk sharing between Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Aurora Health Care, quality benchmarking and patient management collaborations designed to reinforce the importance of the patient experience and align incentives around delivery of high-quality health care.
Exact cost savings will vary by employer group, based on their funding arrangement, employee population and current provider utilization patterns, but are expected to be 10 percent on average, the companies said.
Blue Priority is designed for small to medium-sized employers, as well as large, self-insured organizations. Blue Priority members will have in-network access to Aurora Health Care doctors, hospitals, professionals and services, and access to other health care providers at out-of-network rates and benefit levels. Outside of Wisconsin, Blue Priority members will have access to any Blue Cross and Blue Shield-contracted provider at in-network rates.
