Anthem Blue Cross and Individual Practice Association Medical Group of Santa Clara County to Form First ACO for PPO Members

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WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., and FOSTER CITY, Calif. —August 10, 2011— Anthem Blue Cross and Individual Practice Association Medical Group of Santa Clara County (SCCIPA), today announced they are launching an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) program to provide coordinated, seamless medical care to Anthem PPO members in the Silicon Valley. The ACO is the first of its kind in Northern California, and includes a direct contract agreement between Anthem and the IPA.  

Anthem Blue Cross expects that initially tens of thousands of PPO members whose physicians participate in the SCCIPA network will benefit from the care coordination, chronic disease management, increased provider accountability, and improved availability of medical information for patient decision-making that are hallmarks of the ACO model. SCCIPA’s network includes 284 primary care physicians, 550 specialists and ten acute care facilities throughout Santa Clara County.  Members will be included in the program if they have received the majority of their medical care from these same treating physicians in the past and where there is already a strong physician/patient relationship.  

“We are pleased to expand our relationship with SCCIPA to include both a direct provider group contract and the launch of an ACO model,” said Pam Kehaly, president of Anthem Blue Cross. “Individuals who receive coordinated, patient-centered care through a collaborative partnership with their physicians can better navigate their options and more effectively manage their health care needs. SCCIPA’s investment in its innovative coordinated care IT platform and demonstrated quality clinical and administrative management performance across its electronically integrated network, make them an ideal partner to offer our first ACO model in northern California.”