Independence Blue Cross and Patina announce agreement to offer Medicare Advantage members a new primary care experience

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Independence Blue Cross (Independence) and Patina Medical Group (Patina), a new primary care provider dedicated to improving the health care experience for people 65 and older, announced today that they have signed a provider agreement. Through the agreement, Patina will make its primary care services available to Independence Medicare Advantage members participating in Keystone 65 HMO and Personal Choice 65^SM PPO plans in 2022.

Patina's primary care is specifically designed to address the unique needs people have as they age. It is personalized and convenient and brings care to people where they are through virtual and in-home visits. It includes a care team that spends time getting to know individuals and creating care plans that are tailored to the individual's needs, goals, and values.

"The health care system can be complicated and frustrating for Medicare Advantage members to navigate," said Heidi Syropoulos, M.D., medical director of Government Markets at Independence. "That's especially true for those who are managing multiple health conditions or who have challenges accessing office-based care. Patina helps simplify things for members by offering high-quality primary care that is easy for them to access in their homes and through the computer and phone."

Patina is different from traditional primary care. It gives every person a dedicated care team that includes a primary care practitioner and a health champion. The care is built around them and the team helps them access other specialized resources in areas like behavioral health. The Patina health champion is a "go-to" resource for any care-related needs. They help people schedule appointments, coordinate care across multiple providers, and get access to community resources. Patina also makes it easy for family and loved ones to be part of the care team. 

"Our approach is designed to facilitate a shift away from reactive care — treating people only when they get sick — and toward proactive, coordinated care that addresses the unique needs we all have as we age," said Jack Stoddard, CEO of Patina. "We are grateful to be partnering on our launch with a market leader like Independence Blue Cross. They share our vision of building a better health care and aging experience for older adults so they can live their fullest lives and age with dignity and independence."

Members who select Patina will maintain all the benefits of their Independence plan.

"We are thrilled to work with Patina on this innovative approach to care that recognizes how our members' health needs change over time," said Daphne Klausner, senior vice president and president of Government Markets at Independence. "Patina is aligned with Independence's approach to treating the whole person and shares our commitment to making high-quality, equitable care more accessible to our Medicare Advantage members. With Patina, we can reach our members where they are and when they need it."

To learn more about Patina, visit www.ibxmedicare.com/Patina. Members who are interested can also sign up for a session to meet the Patina Care Team at patinahealth.com/info-session.

About Patina
Patina is reinventing primary care from the ground up to provide the healthcare and aging experience that older adults and their loved ones deserve. Each person we serve gets a dedicated care team built around them composed of primary care clinicians, a health champion and behavioral health and other specialists – all enabled by purpose-built technology and analytics. As a value-based primary care model, we are focused on delivering a high-quality, high-value experience to the people we serve, not on the volume of patients served. The company is backed by leading investors Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Google Ventures (GV), F-Prime, Viking Global and Rock Springs Capital. For more information about Patina visit https://patinahealth.com.

About Independence Blue Cross
Independence Blue Cross is the leading health insurance organization in southeastern Pennsylvania. For more than 80 years, we have been enhancing the health and well-being of the people and communities we serve. We deliver innovative and competitively priced health care products and services; pioneer new ways to reward doctors, hospitals, and other health care professionals for coordinated, quality care; and support programs and events that promote wellness. To learn more, visit ibx.com. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

Independence Blue Cross offers Medicare Advantage plans with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Independence Medicare Advantage plans depends on contract renewal.

Independence Blue Cross offers products through its subsidiaries Independence Hospital Indemnity Plan, Keystone Health Plan East and QCC Insurance Company — independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.    

Other Providers are available in our network.

Independence Blue Cross complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.  ATENCIÓN:  si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística.  Llame al 1-800-275-2583 (TTY/TDD: 711). 注意：如果您使用繁體中文，您可以免費獲得語言援助服務。請致電 1-800-275-2583 (TTY/TDD: 711) 。 

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SOURCE Independence Blue Cross