Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) has teamed up with leading kidney care providers Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA) and Strive Health to roll out a value-based care program. The collaboration strives to provide BCBS members with kidney disease a coordinated and patient-centered support. The Blue Premier Advanced Kidney Care program was launched on January 1, which eligible BCBS members can avail of without paying any extra cost.
- In its bid to improve health outcomes, the initiative encourages comprehensive care management, like preventative care and disease education, for members on a commercial or Medicare Advantage plan who have chronic kidney disease stage 4 or 5 or end-stage renal disease.
- Von Nguyen, MD, Blue Cross NC chief medical officer, said, “It’s important that we help our members with chronic conditions receive coordinated care, delay or prevent the need for dialysis, and improve their quality of life. Advanced kidney disease has long been challenging to treat.”
- As part of the program, the two providers will work with primary care physicians, nephrologists, and other specialists in the Blue Cross NC network. The providers will be paid by BCBS for the total cost of care and quality performance measures under the value-based care model.
- Strive Health has a presence in 85 counties across the state while FMCNA covers 15 counties in the Charlotte and Wilmington areas.
- Strive Health CEO Chris Riopelle said, “Through transformative, value-based kidney care, Strive Health addresses patient care in a way that will help Blue Cross NC improve members’ lives while controlling long-term health care costs.”
- David Pollack, president of Fresenius Health Partners, the value-based care services division of FMCNA, said: “Our team will deploy proven care coordination systems and services to improve the lives of patients living with kidney disease.”