Florida Blue and Tampa Bay Integrated Healthcare Network Form Accountable Care Arrangement

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida Blue and Tampa Bay Integrated Healthcare Network (TBIH) announced today the launch of an accountable care program to improve the quality and efficiency of patient care in the Tampa Bay area.

An accountable care program allows an insurer to collaborate with a network of providers, sharing in the medical and financial responsibility for a group of patients. The coordination of care helps ensure that patients get the right care at the right time, and focuses on improving the health care experience.

The partnership between Florida Blue and TBIH provides care to patients with the goal of improving their health status, and eliminating unnecessary spending by seamlessly sharing information and meeting quality targets. 

This type of physician-centric arrangement that does not include a hospital as part of the agreement is the first of its kind for a Florida Blue accountable care program. Launching in April, this Tampa-focused program serves as another example of Florida Blue's innovative approach to transforming the way patients receive their medical care. To date, Florida Blue has established 19 commercial accountable care partnerships with leading health systems and physician groups in Florida - more than any other insurer.

"We are honored to work with organizations like Tampa Bay Integrated Healthcare Network that share our goal of creating new care and reimbursement models that directly benefit our customers," said Brian Kiss, M.D., vice president of healthcare transformation for Florida Blue.

"Tampa Bay Integrated Healthcare Network is proud to partner with Florida Blue in its Accountable Provider Organization program," said Mona Boghdadi, M.D., president of TBIH and president of University Community Independent Practice Association (UCIPA). "Our physician network is committed to providing high quality, cost effective care to our patients to achieve improved results and patient satisfaction. Our goal is to reduce hospital readmissions, eliminate unnecessary emergency room visits, and eliminate duplication of services. Our team is committed to support our patients towards better health and we will strive to minimize costs by sharing information and meeting superior targets."

About Florida Blue
Florida Blue, Florida's Blue Cross and Blue Shield company, is a leader in Florida's health care industry. Driven by its mission to help people and communities achieve better health, Florida Blue has more than 4 million health care members across the state. An additional 15.5 million people in 16 states are served through its affiliated companies. Florida Blue is a not-for-profit, policyholder-owned, tax-paying mutual company. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., it is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies. For more information, visit www.floridablue.com.

About Tampa Bay Integrated Healthcare Network (TBIH)
TBIH is a physician-led clinically integrated network, founded and established by University Community Independent Practice Association, Inc. (UCIPA) and Tampa Bay Provider Group, Inc (TBPG). UCIPA and TBPG have provided excellent cost-effective medical services for over 500,000 members in the Tampa Bay area for over 22 years. TBIH physicians will follow the footsteps of their predecessors, take medical care to the next level, and continue to be leaders in their communities for providing high quality care to patients in the Tampa Bay area. For more information contact TBIH at [email protected] or call 813-615-2520.

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SOURCE Florida Blue

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