CentraState Healthcare System and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield Announce End to Litigation Over OMNIA Health Plans

NEWARK, New Jersey, Oct. 18 -- The Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey issued the following news release:

CentraState Healthcare System (CentraState) and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon BCBSNJ) announced today that CentraState was withdrawing as a plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging Horizon BCBSNJ's OMNIA Health Plans. The parties issued the following joint statement:

"We are pleased to put our differences behind us and to recognize that working collaboratively to improve the quality of care, lower costs and enhance the patient experience is better than continuing to focus on differences. As part of the agreement, we will accelerate the development of value-based care initiatives at CentraState beginning in 2019 with collaboration on "Episodes of Care" programs for orthopedics and maternity/newborn care. These new collaborations will integrate Horizon's patient-centered, value-based care models into CentraState's existing efforts to improve the health and well-being of its patients. CentraState and Horizon will continue our long history of working together to transform the healthcare system to one that promotes health and wellness over sick care and shifts the focus from the volume of care delivered to the quality of outcomes and the value of care achieved."

Consistent with other aspects of their relationship, the terms of our agreement are confidential. CentraState continues to accept all Horizon patients, including OMNIA patients at a TIER 2 level of benefit.

"We look forward to continuing a long-standing partnership grounded in principles of providing value-based care," commented John T. Gribbin, President and CEO of CentraState.

About CentraState Healthcare System

CentraState Healthcare System is a fully accredited, not-for-profit, community-based health system that provides comprehensive health services in the central New Jersey region. In addition to offering a full range of leading-edge diagnostic and treatment options, CentraState serves as a valuable health partner focused on the latest ways to prevent disease, promote healthy behaviors, and help people of all ages live life well. Based in Freehold, CentraState is comprised of a 284-bed acute-care hospital, a vibrant health and wellness campus, three award-winning senior living communities, a charitable foundation, and four convenient satellite health pavilions. The system also offers a family practice residency and geriatric fellowship training program in affiliation with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Among its many honors and accreditations, CentraState is one of only 2 percent of hospitals nationwide to earn Magnet(R) designation for nursing excellence three times. To learn more, visit www.centrastate.com.

About Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the state's oldest and largest health insurer is a tax-paying, not-for-profit health service corporation, providing a wide array of medical, dental, vision and prescription insurance products and services. Horizon BCBSNJ is leading the transformation of health care in New Jersey by working with doctors and hospitals to deliver innovative, patient-centered programs that reward the quality, not quantity, of care patients receive. Learn more at www.HorizonBlue.com. Horizon BCBSNJ is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association serving more than 3.8 million members.