Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Bronson have agreed to new contract terms that will maintain access to Bronson hospitals for people insured by BCBSM and Blue Care Network HMO. The five-year agreement includes value-based provisions that move the focus of reimbursement away from patient volume, rewarding the hospital system for quality measures such as lower rates of hospital readmissions and more efficient care processes that result in fewer duplicative tests. This type of reimbursement approach has been embraced by 18 other Michigan hospital systems, including 71 hospitals, constituting more than 85 percent of BCBSM’s annual hospital payments. “We are very pleased to reach agreement with Bronson on reimbursement that maintains access to Bronson hospitals, promotes insurance affordability and invests in Bronson’s commitment to deliver quality health services to the communities it serves,” said Jeff Connolly, BCBSM senior vice president and president for West Michigan Business. “We would like to thank Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan cardholders for their patience as we worked on this new agreement,” said Frank Sardone, president and CEO of Bronson Healthcare. “We look forward to continuing to provide them and their families with high quality health care services at Bronson hospitals in Battle Creek, Kalamazoo and Paw Paw.” Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit mutual insurance company, is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. BCBSM provides and administers health benefits to more than 4.4 million members residing in Michigan in addition to employees of Michigan-headquartered companies who reside outside the state. For more company information, visit bcbsm.com and MiBluesPerspectives.com.
