UI Health System, Wellmark to collaborate on innovative health insurance plan
University of Iowa Health System is pleased to announce its collaboration with Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield to create a new health insurance company, Wellmark Synergy Health, Inc. The new company will offer health insurance plans for individuals and small employer groups (both on and off the exchange) this fall for a January 1, 2017, effective date.
The new insurance plan will use University of Iowa Health Alliance-aligned providers as the core network for health care services in counties where plans are available in Iowa including: Johnson, Linn, Des Moines and Scott. These providers include University of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City; Genesis Health System, Quad Cities; Mercy - Cedar Rapids; and Great River Health Systems, West Burlington.
“The goal of the new insurance plan is to transform health care by focusing on keeping people as healthy as possible, rather than continuing to emphasize an ‘illness’ model of care,” said Jean E. Robillard, MD, Chair, UI Health System. “We believe that more convenient access to care, including use of telemedicine, easier to understand costs, and use of care managers will help achieve this goal.”
“The goal of the new insurance plan is to transform health care by focusing on keeping people as healthy as possible, rather than continuing to emphasize an ‘illness’ model of care,” said Jean E. Robillard, MD, Chair, UI Health System. “We believe that more convenient access to care, including use of telemedicine, easier to understand costs, and use of care managers will help achieve this goal.”
Tom Newton, Vice President of Network Engagement, Wellmark, said, “Wellmark and the University of Iowa Health System believe this type of innovative organization is critical to managing and improving the care of our members. Importantly, the joint ownership of the company shows that we are working towards the same goal: staying patient-centered and aligned in the delivery and efficiency of care.”
Wellmark Synergy Health will:
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Deliver local network products for the individual and small group markets both on and off the exchange;
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Place exchange products in areas where Wellmark and the UI Health Alliance have adequate aligned provider networks;
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Innovate to deliver care more effectively and efficiently with higher patient satisfaction through improved communication between the provider and carrier; and
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Potentially reduce the total cost of care.
Robillard continued, “Over the past four years, we have worked together within the UI Health Alliance to offer Accountable Care Organizations to the communities we serve. This has given us experience in care management that truly supports and helps people effectively manage their health needs. In turn, this has reduced the need for hospital care, emergency room visits and reduced the total cost of care. It’s a genuine ‘win-win’. Wellmark Synergy Health is the next logical step in demonstrating an innovative approach to achieving both quality care and reducing the rate of cost increases.”
Doug Cropper, President and CEO, Genesis Health System, added, “We believe that the Genesis patient community will be receptive to this new type of insurance plan. We also know that Genesis Health System will contribute to the well-recognized, collective strength of the UI Health Alliance as a physician and hospital provider of high quality care to Wellmark’s strength in designing and offering health insurance products. It really brings the best-known health care organizations within Iowa together for a common purpose: helping people become healthier and improving quality of life for all Iowans.”
More information about the new product will be available soon.
