Florida Blue and BayCare Health Systems Expand Medicare Advantage Relationship

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Nov. 23, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Florida Blue, Florida's Blue Cross and Blue Shield company, has signed a new agreement with BayCare Health System in the Tampa Bay region.

With the expanded agreement, BlueMedicare Preferred HMO members in Pinellas County can take advantage of BayCare's renowned health services at Morton Plant Hospital, Mease Countryside Hospital, Mease Dunedin Hospital, BayCare Alliant Hospital and St. Anthony's Hospital. The new agreement will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2016, and includes the participation of its Pinellas hospitals.  BayCare-owned ancillary providers and employed physicians are not part of this agreement.

The BlueMedicare Preferred HMO, offered by Florida Blue's wholly owned subsidiary Florida Health Care Plans in Pinellas County, brings concierge care to Medicare members in the county. The new plan will provide some of the most distinctive and comprehensive benefits in the market, such as remote health status monitoring, a jump start onboarding program, personalized care plans and transportation for members.

"As two Florida-based, mission-driven organizations, BayCare and Florida Blue have a long history of working collaboratively to provide high-quality, affordable health care to Floridians," said Luisa Charbonneau, Florida Blue Vice President of Government Markets. "With the addition of its Pinellas County hospitals to this network, our members can take advantage of BayCare's quality services and care as part of our innovative, new BlueMedicare Preferred HMO that offers personalized, comprehensive care."

In addition to participating in Florida Health Care Plans' BlueMedicare Preferred HMO network, BayCare also serves as the anchor health system in the Tampa Bay market for Florida Blue's new myBlue HMO product. This new innovative product was specifically designed for under 65 consumers who qualify for federal assistance on the Health Insurance Marketplace. For more information, visit FloridaBlue.com

About Florida Blue
Florida Blue, Florida's Blue Cross and Blue Shield company, is a leader in Florida's health care industry. Driven by its mission to help people and communities achieve better health, Florida Blue has more than 4 million health care members across the state. An additional 15.5 million people in 16 states are served through its affiliated companies. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., Florida Blue 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.

About BayCare Health System
BayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 13 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. Inpatient and outpatient services include acute care, primary care, imaging, laboratory, behavioral health, home care, and wellness. Our mission is to improve the health of all we serve through community-owned, health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. For more information, visit BayCare on the Web at www.BayCare.org.

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SOURCE Florida Blue