Steward Health Choice Arizona Awarded New AHCCCS Contract

PHOENIX, March 7, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Health Choice Arizona, a subsidiary of Steward Health Care System, LLC (Steward), today announced that the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) has awarded Steward Health Choice Arizona a full-risk, Medicaid managed care contract to manage physical and behavioral health care for Arizonans in the North and Central rural and urban counties. The new contract will be effective beginning October 1, 2018, and has a term of up to seven years, including a three-year initial term and two two-year AHCCCS renewal options. Under the terms of the new contract, Steward Health Choice Arizona will serve members in Maricopa, Gila, Pinal, Mohave, Coconino, Apache, Navajo and Yavapai counties.

"Health Choice has been a long-standing AHCCCS managed care contractor and has served as an effective, efficient and innovative partner contributing to AHCCCS' success as a nationally recognized care delivery model for Medicaid recipients," said Steward Health Choice Arizona CEO Shawn Nau. "Together with our Steward Arizona hospitals, the NARBHA Institute, and provider partners throughout the state, we are honored that AHCCCS has recognized our years of innovation, vision for the future of the healthcare delivery system and commitment to Arizona communities with this opportunity to continue serving those in need."

Steward Health Choice Arizona will focus on a variety of strategies to improve health outcomes through physical and behavioral health integration across the full continuum of care. The following core strategies are key to its success:

• Quality Programs – Steward Health Choice Arizona is dedicated to ensuring our members receive the highest quality health services by continually improving our plan's performance by focusing on quality triggers that drive better health outcomes and lower costs.
• Care Coordination and Delivery System Integration – Steward Health Choice Arizona employs innovative initiatives designed to enhance existing programs and integrate disparate segments of the delivery system to improve coordination of care, improve clinical outcomes, increase quality and safety, reduce waste and increase efficiency, and invest in Arizona's care delivery infrastructure.
• Member/Patient Engagement – Steward Health Choice Arizona successfully uses innovative programs and tools to inform, educate and engage members to participate actively in their healthcare by encouraging the use of preventive services, active participation in care planning, adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors and self-care management.
• Value-based Reimbursement – Steward Health Choice Arizona partners with providers to align reimbursement with high-quality clinical performance, patient safety, positive health outcomes, and cost and operational efficiency.

To ensure care coordination for those in need, Steward Health Choice also provides quality healthcare coverage for members who are eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare through Steward Health Choice Generations HMO, a Medicare Advantage special needs plan with prescription drug coverage.

"As the managed care engine behind Steward's innovations to meet the demands of healthcare reform, Health Choice serves as the catalyst to add value to our partners through innovative integrated delivery system strategies and efficient operations," said Troy Smith, Interim CEO of Steward Health Choice's national managed care organization. "Steward's proven track record of operational excellence demonstrates the value we provide to the State of Arizona, and we look forward to our continued partnership with AHCCCS to deliver high quality healthcare that improves health outcomes and generates fiscal efficiencies for both Federal and State taxpayers."

About Steward Health Choice Arizona
Steward Health Choice Arizona is a subsidiary of Steward Health Choice, and continues the collaborative partnership between Health Choice and the NARBHA Institute. Formally initiated with the creation of Health Choice Integrated Care, LLC, in 2015, this partnership will foster increased collaboration with local communities throughout our service region. Steward Health Choice's main base of operations will remain in Phoenix, Arizona, with an additional Northern Arizona operations center located in Flagstaff, Arizona. These two locations will employ over 900 staff members who will support Steward Health Choice Arizona's operations.

About Steward Health Choice
Steward Health Choice, a subsidiary of Steward Health Care System, LLC, is a provider-owned, managed care organization delivering robust healthcare services with innovative medical management programs to its members. The Steward Health Choice mission is to simplify a complex industry for providers and members to improve health outcomes and the quality of life in the communities we serve. Currently, Steward Health Choice has more than 30,000 professional providers rendering healthcare services to more than 174,000 Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries in Arizona and Utah, and has initiated development of a Medicaid managed care organization in Massachusetts. Steward Health Choice is committed to being an innovative leader, delivering sustainable models of care delivery for the individuals we serve.  For more information, visit HealthChoiceAZ.com, HealthChoiceIntegratedCare.com, HealthChoiceGenerations.com, StewardHealthChoice.org, and HealthChoiceUtah.com.

SOURCE Steward Health Care

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