Capital BlueCross, WellSpan Health to join forces

Capital BlueCross and WellSpan Health are working on a long-term agreement that they say will allow them to lower costs while improving services for WellSpan patients with BlueCross insurance.
The two organizations plan to finalize a strategic partnership in the coming months that would blend data collected by both. York-based WellSpan’s electronic health record system covers 170 patient care facilities in Adams, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties, while Capital BlueCross brings data on thousands of its members.
The companies are looking at offering new insurance products for BlueCross members and analyzing the available data to improve the patient experience in WellSpan facilities.
“This partnership enables us to create even more innovative and affordable solutions for our members and our community,” Gary St. Hilaire, president and CEO of Capital BlueCross said in a press release announcing the partnership. The insurer is based in Susquehanna Township, Dauphin County and offers coverage in 21 counties spanning Central Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley.
WellSpan and Capital BlueCross also expect to introduce new population health management tools that will help them better understand the health care needs in the region as well as navigation tools for consumers to pinpoint the right facilities for their needs.
The WellSpan-Capital BlueCross deal comes more than a year after Highmark Health and Penn State Health became strategic partners, pledging to invest over $1 billion in a shared health network. Capital BlueCross and WellSpan have yet to announce any financial terms associated with their partnership.
“As we look for a multitude of ways to enhance the value of the care we deliver, we see great benefit in working more closely with organizations that provide health care coverage to the patients we serve, especially those that share WellSpan’s commitment to transforming the care experience,” said Roxanna Gapstur, president and CEO of York Township-based WellSpan Health. The system employs over 15,000 people.

CREDIT: Ioannis Pashakis