Florida Blue and First Coast Health Alliance Create Accountable Care Arrangement

Florida Blue and First Coast Health Alliance announced the execution of an accountable care agreement that aims to improve the quality and efficiency of patient care in St. Johns County.

Through this arrangement, both organizations plan to improve the individual medical experience, while also decreasing medical costs, by enhancing the coordination of care between Flagler Hospital, area physicians and Florida Blue.

Flagler Hospital established a Physician Hospital Organization including 188 community physicians structured as First Coast Health Alliance (FCHA) in May of 2013.FCHA is focused on improving the health of patients and populations served in St. Johns County and surrounding areas as well as enhancing the quality and efficiency of patient care.

Starting on Jan. 1, 2014, the accountable care program will utilize a value-based compensation structure and serve as another example of Florida Blue’s payment innovation efforts being deployed in the state. It will decrease medical costs and increase quality outcomes by rewarding the right combination of goals, including transparency, care coordination, consumer empowerment and lack of redundancy.

“We are extremely pleased to work with Florida Blue in an effort to achieve our common goals of improving health and reducing costs,” stated Flagler Hospital President & CEO Joe Gordy.

“Together, our physician members and Flagler Hospital represent the largest constituency of health care providers in our county, so forming a relationship with our community’s largest commercial insurer makes perfect sense,” added FCHA President Miguel Machado, MD. “We are excited about the positive outcomes we foresee for our patients and local employers.”

“Progressive organizations like First Coast Health Alliance realize the importance of moving away from the fee-for-service model to one that focuses on quality outcomes and reduces the cost burden for all stakeholders,” said Andy Marino, vice president of Delivery System for Florida Blue. “We are honored to collaborate with First Coast Health Alliance in bringing the benefit of this new arrangement to our members in northeast Florida.”

About First Coast Health Alliance

First Coast Health Alliance is a physician-hospital organization established in May 2013 to serve St. Johns County and surrounding communities. Its 188 members include independent primary care physicians and specialists and Flagler Hospital. The mission of First Coast Health Alliance is to achieve the best in quality and efficiency for all patients at every point of care. The organization's vision is to serve as a national model for collaboration among independent physicians, health care providers and the communities they serve, and to achieve the best possible population health at the best value. More information, including a full listing of alliance members, the board of directors and leadership team, can be found at www.firstcoasthealthalliance.com. More information about Flagler Hospital can be found at www.flaglerhospital.org.

About Florida Blue

Florida Blue, Florida’s Blue Cross and Blue Shield company, is a leader in Florida’s health care industry. Our mission is to help people and communities achieve better health. Florida Blue has approximately 4 million health care members and serves 15.5 million people in 16 states 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.