The three-year agreement, effective January 1, 2015, aims to reduce health care costs for members in parts of Contra Costa, Solano and Alameda counties
WALNUT CREEK, Calif., January 6, 2015 – Health Net of California, Inc., a subsidiary of Health Net, Inc., and John Muir Health have formed an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) serving Health Net members utilizing John Muir Health’s medical centers and its physician network in Contra Costa, Solano and Alameda counties.
“Our goal is to help improve the ability of patients to find the right care at the right time and in the most appropriate setting,” said Chris Ellertson, regional health plan officer for Health Net. “Through the arrangement, Health Net and John Muir Health will work collaboratively to build new efficiencies aimed at reducing the cost of care while maintaining access to quality care and decreasing the upward pressure on insurance premiums.”
According to Lee Huskins, president and chief administrative officer of John Muir Health’s physician network, the ACO will focus on promoting patient engagement and improving the patient experience through a combination of care management and wellness and prevention programs, utilizing approaches like:
“This partnership is well-aligned with our efforts to lower costs, enhance quality and service, and increase access to John Muir Health,” said Huskins. “We’re committed to engaging patients as partners in their care to help them maintain and improve their health. We look forward to working collaboratively with our patients and Health Net on this effort.”
An ACO is a group of doctors, hospitals, other health care providers and health plans that closely align and collaborate on providing coordinated, quality care to patients and help avoid unnecessary duplication of services and medical errors.