Independence Blue Cross and Tower Health to Jointly Explore New Programs That Drive Access to Higher Quality, More Affordable Care

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, Oct. 23 -- Independence Blue Cross issued the following news release:

Independence Blue Cross (Independence) and Tower Health - a health care system that includes Brandywine, Chestnut Hill, Jennersville, Phoenixville, Pottstown, and Reading hospitals - have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to permit discussions on innovative programs that will better manage care, improve outcomes, and lower costs for patients across southeastern Pennsylvania.

The collaboration, which will include Tower Health's participation in the Independence Facilitated Health Networks model, is focused on improving how the health care system works in the communities the two organizations serve. Working together, Independence and Tower Health will build upon existing approaches and develop new methods to ensure that patients receive care in the most appropriate, high-quality, and cost-effective settings. The collaboration will also include exploring new opportunities to engage with Tandigm Health and Tower Health Partners.

"We are excited to embark on this new journey with Tower Health. At Independence our goal is to make health care easier to access and simpler to use for our members. We are looking forward to exploring innovative ways to achieve that goal with the leadership and team at Tower Health," said Daniel J. Hilferty, president and CEO at Independence Blue Cross. "This collaboration is part of a bigger initiative and commitment by Independence to partner with community hospitals and physicians to ensure members receive quality care at an affordable price."

"With Independence Blue Cross, Tower Health gets to work with another high-quality organization that shares our commitment to innovation and caring for communities," said Clint Matthews, president and CEO of Tower Health. "I am particularly excited about this collaboration because it will engage our physicians in new ways and will put patient, physician, and employer satisfaction at the center of our efforts to drive changes that will improve the quality of care and lower its cost."

About Tower Health

With 11,000 team members, Tower Health consists of Reading Hospital in West Reading; Brandywine Hospital in Coatesville; Chestnut Hill Hospital in Philadelphia; Jennersville Hospital in West Grove; Phoenixville Hospital in Phoenixville; and Pottstown Hospital in Pottstown. It also includes Reading Hospital Rehabilitation at Wyomissing; Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences in West Reading; and a connected network of 2,000 physicians, specialists and providers across 65 convenient locations. For more information, visit www.towerhealth.org.

About Independence Blue Cross

Independence Blue Cross is the leading health insurance organization in southeastern Pennsylvania. With our affiliates, we serve more than 8 million people nationwide, including more than 2.5 million in the region. For 80 years, we have been enhancing the health and well-being of the people and communities we serve by delivering innovative and competitively priced health care products and services; pioneering new ways to reward doctors, hospitals, and other health care professionals for coordinated, quality care; and supporting programs and events that promote wellness. To learn more, visit www.ibx.com. Connect with us on Facebook and on Twitter. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.