HARTFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Aetna (NYSE: AET) and Hartford HealthCare (HHC) today announced a new multi-year network agreement beginning on January 1, 2015, and that the two organizations will offer new value-based, accountable care arrangements in Connecticut beginning next year.
Aetna and Hartford HealthCare plan to implement an accountable care agreement for Aetna members beginning in 2015 and to jointly introduce new accountable care products in 2016. The accountable care agreement is designed to improve quality and the overall patient experience, improve access to care, and lower medical costs. Integrated Care Partners (ICP), a physician-led clinical integration organization of Hartford HealthCare-affiliated physicians, will play a critical role in improving how patient care is delivered through the new value-based accountable care relationships that are being defined.
In an accountable care agreement, a group of health care providers assumes responsibility for the quality and cost of care for a group of patients. Aetna members in these models receive an enhanced level of coordinated care in addition to the member benefits of their current Aetna plan.
The accountable care arrangements will involve HHC’s 2,000 Integrated Care Partners doctors, health care professionals, and care managers who work closely with Aetna to coordinate health care services and aim to demonstrate high-quality medical care.
The agreement being announced today builds on a successful existing collaboration between Aetna, Hartford HealthCare and ICP for HHC employees. Already today for this employee population, which is covered by Aetna, the three entities are exchanging data to help identify, engage and help people with chronic conditions like diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) and also to improve care coordination for employees being discharged from one of the acute-care five hospitals in the HHC system.
“Aetna, HHC and their physicians share the responsibility of giving the thousands of Connecticut residents we both serve high-quality, efficient and coordinated care,” said Martha R. Temple, Aetna president, New England. “As with all members, we want these shared patients and members to feel well and to feel supported by their personal health care system. Together, Aetna and Hartford HealthCare are stepping forward to collaborate and share in the accountability of positive patient outcomes.”
“We are so pleased that these two respected Hartford-based organizations are working together on behalf of patients throughout our entire network,” said Jeffrey Flaks, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Hartford HealthCare. “We are happy to have a partner who shares our values and our vision.”
Dr. James Cardon, executive vice president and chief clinical integration officer for Hartford HealthCare, called the agreement with Aetna “good news for patients, employers and health care providers across our system. Together, we will work to improve quality, provide more access to health services and programs and lower the overall cost of care.”
“Together with Aetna, we can create greater value in health care,” added Dr. Cardon, who is also president and chief executive officer for Integrated Care Partners. “We are enthused about developing programs that keep people healthier – providing the right care at the right time for the right cost.”
Aetna is working with health care organizations across the country to develop products and services that support value-driven, patient-centered care for all health care consumers. Nationally, more than 2.3 million members are served by value-based health care models.
Date: September 29, 2014