Florida Blue and Holy Cross Create Accountable Care Arrangement

Florida Blue, Florida’s Blue Cross and Blue Shield Company, and Holy Cross Physician Partners are pleased to announce that effective January 1, 2013, Holy Cross Physician Partners will participate in the Florida Blue Accountable Care Program.

“Florida Blue is excited to expand our relationship with Holy Cross surrounding this exciting new partnership,” said Dr. Jonathan Gavras, chief medical officer and senior vice president for Florida Blue. “In the age of reform, both organizations realize the importance of moving away from the fee-for-service model to one that focuses on quality outcomes that will benefit our members in South Florida.”

Holy Cross Hospital established a clinically integrated group of physicians structured as Holy Cross Physician Partners, LLC (HCPP). HCPP is focused on improving the health of patients and populations served in the Fort Lauderdale area as well as enhancing the quality and efficiency of patient care. 

Led by and comprised of independent community physicians and those employed by the Holy Cross Medical Group, the HCPP network has grown to over 230 doctors, both primary care and specialists, in Broward and Palm Beach Counties. 

"Holy Cross Physician Partners and Holy Cross Hospital are committed to improving health and quality of life in the communities we serve,” said Kenneth Homer, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Holy Cross Hospital, and Medical Director, Holy Cross Physician Partners.  “We look forward to working with Florida Blue to deliver high quality outcomes to patients in a cost-effective, efficient, reproducible and quantifiable manner.”

The overall goals of accountable care arrangements are to improve individual patient care, improve overall health and decrease medical costs. The accountable care program between HCPP and Florida Blue utilizes a value-based payment structure and is one of the first commercial accountable care programs in the state.

The arrangement is designed to benefit all commercially insured Florida Blue members in Broward and Palm Beach Counties. It is expected that approximately 4,100 Florida Blue members will be part of the accountable care program in the first year. Florida Blue and HCPP will expand the program to the Holy Cross Hospital employee group as well as Florida Blue self-funded customers in future years.

About Holy Cross Hospital

A member of Catholic Health East, Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. is a full-service, non-profit Catholic hospital, sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy. Since opening its doors in 1955, the award-winning 559-bed hospital has offered progressive services and programs to meet the evolving healthcare needs of South Florida. Today, Holy Cross Hospital has more than 600 physicians on staff representing more than 40 specialties and more than 3,000 employees.  To learn more about Holy Cross Hospital, visit holy-cross.com, “like” us at www.facebook.com/holycrossfl or follow @holycrossfl on Twitter.

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.