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February 28, 2013

UMass Memorial Joins BCBS Global Payment Program

In what is the first major move made with UMass Memorial Health Care's new CEO at the helm, the five-hospital system announced its participation in Blue Cross Blue Shield's alternative quality contract.

Under the global payment plan, physicians will be paid for the quality of care provided, rather than the quantity.

They can also earn performance incentives by adhering to nationally endorsed quality, health outcome, and patient experience measures.

“Signing this contract with our partners at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is a demonstration of our commitment at UMass Memorial Health Care to provide the highest quality care in the most efficient and fiscally responsible way,” said Dr. Eric Dickson, president and CEO of UMass Memorial, who took over at UMass this month.

The more than 1,400 UMass Memorial doctors working at the system's five hospitals and other community practices will care for about 45,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts' HMO members under the four-year agreement.

According to BCBS, the addition of UMass Memorial to its AQC means 82 percent of its in-state HMO primary care physicians and 86 percent of its specialists now participate in the program. Those doctors care for about 85 percent of BCBS's HMO membership in the state.

“The AQC is a national model for payment reform that's improving the quality of patient care while simultaneously slowing medical spending growth,” said BCBS President and CEO Andrew Dreyfus.

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