What Is the Care Provider Recognition Program?
Elevance Health has announced its 2026 Care Provider Recognition Program honorees. The program identifies and celebrates the top 1% of primary care providers across the insurer’s broad national network. This year, Elevance recognized 45 primary care practices and health systems for their commitment to high-quality, coordinated patient care.
The recognition draws from a pool of approximately 7,200 evaluated and value-based providers. Consequently, earning a spot on this list is a significant achievement. Moreover, it signals a provider’s consistent excellence across multiple quality dimensions that directly impact patient outcomes.
How Elevance Selects the Top 1%
A Rigorous, Data-Driven Process
Elevance does not rely on subjective criteria. Instead, the company uses a structured set of performance measures to objectively rank providers. Furthermore, the evaluation spans three major plan types: employer-sponsored insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare Advantage. This breadth ensures that honorees deliver quality care across diverse patient populations.
The Plans Covered
- Employer-sponsored plans – reflecting quality for working adults and their families
- Medicaid plans – measuring care for low-income and vulnerable populations
- Medicare Advantage plans – evaluating outcomes for seniors and individuals with disabilities
Key Performance Measures
What Gets Measured
Elevance evaluates providers on four core performance areas. First, preventive care screenings assess whether patients receive timely health checks. Second, immunization rates track adherence to recommended vaccination schedules. Third, chronic disease management reviews how well providers control conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. Fourth, medication adherence measures whether patients follow prescribed treatment plans consistently.
Together, these indicators paint a comprehensive picture of a provider’s care quality. Additionally, they align with widely accepted national benchmarks for primary care excellence. Providers who excel across all four areas demonstrate both clinical skill and patient engagement — a rare combination.
The 2026 Honorees by State
California
Cedars-Sinai, Seoul Medical Group, Southland Advantage Medical Group, Sutter Health
Colorado
OnPoint Medical Group
Connecticut
Connecticut Children’s Care Network
Florida
Vaconcello-Cohen, MD
Georgia
Center for Primary Care, Health Partners Network, Peds Care, P.C.
Kentucky
Family Practice Associates of Lexington, Scott A. Young, MD, Village Medical
Maryland
Hashim S. Hashim, MD
Maine
InterMed
New Hampshire
Ammonoosuc Community Health Services, North Country Primary Care
New York
Charles B. Wang Community Health Center, Saratoga Hospital, Summit Health’s WestMed Medical Group, Zvi M. Eckstein, MD, PC
Ohio
Central Ohio Primary Care, Community Health Care, Family Health Services of Darke County, Integrated Health Collaborative, Pioneer Physicians Network, Primary Care Internists
Tennessee
Pediatric Partners of Nashville
Texas
Accent Family Health Care, Leon Pediatrics of Arlington and Midlothian
Virginia
AAA Pediatrics, Charlottesville Internal Medicine, Fortify Children’s Health, Franconia Pediatrics, Gloti Rodriguez, MD, Hispanic American Pediatric Associates, medicsUSA, Metropolitan Pediatrics, Pediatric Associates of Springfield, Sacoto Pediatrics, Van Dorn Pediatrics, Virginia Care Partners
Wisconsin
Associated Physicians, OakLeaf Clinics, SSM Health Monroe Clinic Medical Group
Why This Recognition Matters
Raising the Bar for Primary Care Quality
Recognition programs like this one do more than hand out accolades. They drive systemic improvement by setting clear, measurable standards that all network providers can target. As a result, honored practices often serve as models for peers seeking to elevate their own performance.
Patient Benefits Are Real
Patients who receive care from top-rated providers experience tangible advantages. They receive more consistent preventive screenings. They also benefit from better chronic disease management, which reduces hospitalizations and emergency visits. In turn, payers see lower long-term costs. This alignment of patient outcomes and financial sustainability is central to the value-based care model that Elevance actively promotes.
A Diverse Geographic Footprint
Notably, the 2026 honorees span 15 states. They range from large academic health systems like Cedars-Sinai to community-based pediatric practices in Virginia and rural health services in New Hampshire. This geographic diversity underscores that quality primary care can thrive in any setting — urban, suburban, or rural.
Looking Ahead: Value-Based Care in 2026
The Industry Conversation Continues
Value-based care remains at the forefront of health policy and payer strategy in 2026. Payer executives and healthcare leaders will gather at the Becker’s 5th Annual Fall Payer Issues Roundtable on November 2–3 in Chicago to discuss regulatory changes, cost management strategies, and innovations driving payer-provider collaboration.
Elevance’s Broader Commitment
Elevance Health’s recognition program reflects its broader strategy: rewarding providers who deliver measurable value, not just volume. As payment models continue to shift away from fee-for-service, programs like the Care Provider Recognition Program help accelerate that transition. They also give high-performing practices the visibility they deserve.
Ultimately, the 45 practices named for 2026 represent what exceptional primary care looks like at scale. Their work sets a benchmark that the rest of the network — and the broader industry — can aspire to meet.
