PA health plans pay PCPs to track care

A group of Pennsylvania health plans have come together to create a program paying family doctors and other caregivers to manage patient care more closely. Among other things, the program will make providers more accessible to patients through phone calls and email, as well as educating patients in better self-care. Plans involved, which include Independence Blue Cross, Aetna and four other insurers, are looking to spend $13 million over three years to finance the first phase of the initiative. All told, more than 150 primary care doctors are participating within 32 primary care practices, and about 220,000 patients in southeastern Pennsylvania will participate, which makes this one of the largest efforts of its kind in the U.S. The program is part of Gov. Ed Rendell's chronic-care model for the state, which should rollout statewide by year-end.

To learn more about the program:
- read this Philadelphia Inquirer article [1]

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