Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (BCBSNJ) and the N.J.-based LHS Health Network have announced the launch of a collaborative patient-centered accountable care organization (ACO) to improve care and patient outcomes for more than17,000 Horizon BCBSNJ members.
LHS Health Network is a network of physician practices, hospitals and other healthcare providers affiliated with Lourdes Health System in Camden, N.J. Approximately 90 primary care doctors practicing at approximately 40 practice locations in Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Mercer counties in N.J. are participating in the ACO that began on January 1, 2014.
Under this ACO agreement, Horizon BCBSNJ—the state’s oldest health insurer— will provide care coordination payments to the ACO to take on additional accountability for improving the health and patient experience as well as controlling the cost of care for its Horizon BCBSNJ patients. The ACO and its affiliated practices, provided the ACO meets certain health improvement, patient satisfaction and cost goals, have an opportunity to share in the resulting financial savings with Horizon BCBSNJ, officials say.
