Collaboration to Improve Health Care Uses Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Model

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Nov 16, 2010, 05:18 ET

DETROIT, Nov., 16, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan extends its heartiest congratulations to the Michigan Department of Community Health and the fellow Michigan health plans that are participating in a national demonstration project that will improve the quality and safety of health care statewide.

Michigan is one of eight states approved to participate in a Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) demonstration project that will evaluate how to pay health professionals who improve patient care through a patient-centered medical home. Of the more than 1,200 physician practices expected to participate in this project nationally, approximately 480 will be in Michigan.

Michigan's project is groundbreaking, because all health insurers have agreed to use one medical home model – the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Physician Group Incentive Program patient-centered medical home model– as the standard, rather than each health plan designing its own model. Participants in the program will share data to develop the best practices for health care improvement.

In particular, the Michigan initiative will focus on ways to address the biggest health challenges in the state – managing chronic diseases, such as diabetes and asthma, and coordinating health care across the spectrum of doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, nursing homes, etc.

"We believe this project will further strengthen the care improvements that we're already seeing in the physicians' practices which participate in the Blue Cross PCMH program," says David Share, executive medical director for quality programs, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. "We are proud to partner with physicians and health plans across Michigan in this important initiative."

SOURCE Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan