Saint Joseph Health System and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Announce Multi-year Contract with Enhanced Value-Based Health Care and Improved Data Connectivity

Saint Joseph Health System to remain in-network for Anthem members

Indianapolis and Mishawaka, Ind. —  Saint Joseph Health System (SJHS) and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana announced today a new, multi-year provider network agreement. The agreement secures long-term access to affordable healthcare for St. Joseph patients who are covered by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield health plans.

As part of the agreement, the two organizations will accelerate their collaboration on several innovative initiatives, including advance data connectivity and value-based care (VBC) models designed to improve health outcomes and better control costs for care for SJHS patients covered by Anthem health plans.

SJHS and Anthem will incorporate Epic Payer Platform into regular operations, a technology that will streamline secure patient data flow between the organizations, bolster operational efficiency, accelerate approval processes, and improve patient outcomes. The platform’s Clinical Data Exchange simplifies processes and reduces administrative burden for medical teams, allowing doctors to spend less time doing paperwork and more time treating patients.

"We are excited to have reached an agreement with Anthem without disruptions in our mission to provide affordable and high-quality healthcare to our patients," said Chris Karam, President of Saint Joseph Health System. "We expect this agreement to positively impact health outcomes while also ensuring that our healthcare services remain accessible to a larger community."

While SJHS and Anthem have long partnered on VBC delivery and quality-based payment models, the new agreement expands that work to include Anthem’s advanced VBC methodology. This represents further progress in moving toward healthcare models that align payment with improved health outcomes and reduced cost trends. 

"Indiana has some of the highest healthcare costs in the U.S., which has a negative impact on the state’s business climate and quality of life,” said Beth Keyser, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana. “As industry leaders we have an obligation to collaborate and find innovative solutions, such as this contract’s payment for value reimbursement arrangement, which we believe will reduce costs and improve the health of Hoosiers.”