Two Blues Partner with Providers to Launch New Health Plans

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield are joining forces with leading providers to offer new health plans.

Horizon BCBSNJ announced a new Medicare Advantage plan, Braven Health, in partnership with Hackensack Meridian Health and RWJBarnabas Health, though the latter's involvement is pending approval by the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance. Luisa Charbonneau, a former Florida Blue executive, will serve as the MA plan's first chief executive officer. 

"Delivering an excellent health care experience while making health care more affordable requires continued innovation in the ways we collaborate and operate," she said in a public statement. "As healthcare companies with impressive track records of working together to improve health care these are the perfect partners to help Braven Health be accountable to the customer and bring true innovation to the Medicare market."

The partnership is the byproduct of the organizations' efforts to advance value-care care through the OMNIA Health Alliance, a statewide collaboration launched by the New Jersey Blue in 2015 focused on population health.

"Finding innovative, effective ways to deliver care is at the center of everything we do at Hackensack Meridian Health. Embarking on this partnership with Horizon was a natural progression in our quest to make health care seamless and less stressful," said Hackensack Meridian Health CEO Robert C. Garrett, FACHE.

According to the announcement, a council of practitioners will be an integral part of Braven Health, allowing providers to share their perspective and feedback with the company’s board to help shape the MA plan. 

Braven Health becomes the first payer-provider owned health plan in the state. The plan will be available starting next month, going into effect at the start of 2021.

Meanwhile in Wisconsin, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Ascension Wisconsin are partnering to bring new health plans to the state's ACA marketplace. A central feature of the Anthem plans is Ascension Wisconsin’s network of two dozen hospital campuses, more than 100 care locations, and more than 1,300 physicians. Children’s Wisconsin is also included in the plans for pediatric care.

“Ascension Wisconsin and Anthem are both deeply committed to Wisconsin communities and we share a goal of assuring all Wisconsinites enjoy affordable access to quality healthcare,” Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Wisconsin President Paul Nobile stated. “Especially now, in the wake of COVID-19, people need highly coordinated, personalized healthcare. That’s what this partnership is designed to offer.”

The new plans will provide access to in-person and virtual care as the coronavirus continues.

Anthem waived cost-sharing for COVID-19 treatment until 2021, increased access to telehealth and phone visits, provided one-month premium credits to some members, and launched a digital tool to share COVID-19 data, trends, and predictions. The health plan’s parent company also committed $2.5 billion to support beneficiaries, employers, providers, and charitable organizations through the pandemic.

Ascension Wisconsin provided around 130,000 virtual visits between March and July. Additionally, the organization set up more than 20 mobile COVID-19 testing sites across the state.

“Ascension Wisconsin is pleased to be Anthem’s primary and specialty care partner for this new health insurance exchange offering,” Ascension Wisconsin Senior Vice President Bernie Sherry said. “We know that today’s consumers want quality, access and choice. That’s what this partnership delivers. Whether in person at our hospitals and clinics or through virtual visits, our commitment is to provide value to our patients by delivering quality care, in the right place at the right time for the communities we are privileged to serve.”

Open enrollment runs from November 1 through December 15.