Health Alliance Medical Plans Selects McKesson Analytics Advisor

SAN FRANCISCO, March 29 -- McKesson issued the following news release:

Health Alliance Medical Plans (https://healthalliance.org/Content/Index), a prominent provider-sponsored health insurer in the Midwest, has signed an agreement with McKesson (http://www.mckesson.com/en_us/McKesson.com/Our%2BBusinesses/McKesson%2BHealth%2BSolutions/McKesson%2BHealth%2BSolutions.html) renewing its license for several care management solutions while adding McKesson Analytics Advisor(TM) (http://www.mckesson.com/en_us/McKesson.com/For%2BPayers/Private%2BSector/Medical%2BManagement%2BAnalytics/Medical%2BManagement%2BAnalytics.html). McKesson Analytics Advisor is a powerful analytics and reporting tool that helps turn utilization, network, member and claim level data into actionable clinical and financial intelligence to support the organization's business decisions as well as the clinical decisions of its providers. Together, these solutions create a platform that fully informs care management processes while enabling payers and providers to more easily optimize decision making.

Established in 1980 and headquartered in Urbana, Illinois, Health Alliance administers health plans for more than 320,000 members primarily in Illinois and Iowa. In Illinois, it is the top-ranked health plan for its commercial and Medicare plans, based on National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) rankings.

"Health Alliance has worked closely with McKesson for twelve years. The company has been a consistent, collaborative partner," explained Health Alliance chief medical officer Robert Parker. "As a provider-sponsored organization, we have always understood the importance of getting accurate and current information to our affiliated medical professionals in time to inform sound decisions. McKesson's solutions have been a fundamental part of our success in that role."

Health Alliance chose McKesson Analytics Advisor because of its existing partnership with McKesson, as well as the solution's many provider-friendly attributes. For example, McKesson Analytics Advisor supplies automated communication tools that help providers reach out to their patients to proactively close gaps in care, as well as an easy-to-use interface that gives providers better visibility into quality, efficiency and pay-for-performance metrics. In addition, the clinical and financial intelligence solution has become well known for its ability to reduce pharmacy spend by identifying appropriate alternatives to patients' current drug regimens.

"Because McKesson Analytics Advisor was designed by providers and proven in the provider setting, it establishes the strong, credible information foundation upon which payers and providers can build their performance improvement initiatives. Working together, payers and providers can more effectively balance healthcare quality and efficiency, which has been a guiding principle for Health Alliance since it was founded," said James Evans (http://mhsdialogue.com/?cat=15), vice president, Payment Management (http://www.mckesson.com/en_us/McKesson.com/For%2BPayers/Private%2BSector/Payment%2BManagement/Payment%2BManagement.html), McKesson Health Solutions.

Health Alliance renewed its license for Coordinated Care Management System(TM) (CCMS(TM)) (http://www.mckesson.com/en_us/McKesson.com/For%2BPayers/Private%2BSector/Care%2BManagement%2BSoftware/Care%2BManagement%2BWorkflow%2BSoftware.html), workflow technology that integrates utilization, case and disease management into a seamless process that helps payers decide where to focus resources, better coordinate care through automation and effective communication, integrate data at key points in the workflow, and base interventions on evidence-based standards of care. The insurer also renewed its license for Clear Coverage(TM) (http://www.mckesson.com/en_us/McKesson.com/For%2BPayers/Private%2BSector/Advanced%2BDiagnostics%2BManagement/Clear%2BCoverage.html), utilization management software that brings intelligent, automated decision support to the point of care.

About Health Alliance Medical Plans

Health Alliance Medical Plans is a leading provider-sponsored health insurer in the Midwest, administering healthcare coverage for more than 320,000 lives. Health Alliance Commercial HMO/POS ranked #1 in Illinois and Iowa in NCQA's Health Insurance Plan Rankings.* Nationally, Health Alliance ranked the 39th best HMO/POS for 2011-2012.** Additionally, in recognition of its exceptional commitment to quality, Health Alliance holds an Excellent accreditation from NCQA for its commercial HMO, PPO and POS plans as well as its Medicare HMO and PPO plans.

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