#USA #Blue Shield #Health Care #Sacramento, California #Sutter Health

Sutter Health and Blue Shield of California Join Forces for Enhanced Care

In a significant move to improve healthcare services, Sutter Health and Blue Shield of California have announced an expanded network relationship aimed at facilitating better patient experiences and health outcomes. This multi-year agreement comes just in time for the open enrollment period, providing reassurance to community members considering their healthcare plan options.

This new agreement builds upon the existing partnership, which was set to expire at the end of the current year. It ensures that patients enrolled in Blue Shield's HMO, ePO, and PPO plans will continue to have access to Sutter Health's trusted network of medical professionals across Northern California, including the Greater Central Coast and Santa Barbara.

Warner Thomas, President and CEO of Sutter Health, expressed the company’s commitment to a more collaborative approach with payers, prioritizing direct service to patients and communities. He stated, "Through our new process, we successfully reached a timely and comprehensive agreement with Blue Shield, ensuring patients maintain seamless access to the physicians, clinicians, and nurses who care for them. Our collective focus is on care coordination, quality, affordability, and overall healthcare experience."

Mike Stuart, President and CEO of Blue Shield of California, emphasized the necessity of strong partnerships in delivering quality and affordable healthcare. He remarked, "This collaboration with Sutter Health illustrates how working together can make healthcare accessible and efficient for members and their families."

Key Aspects of the Enhanced Network Relationship

Improved Health Outcomes

The renewed agreement prioritizes recognizing and rewarding clinical excellence, ensuring consistent high-quality care for patients receiving treatment at Sutter Health facilities.

Enhanced Patient Experience

One of the key benefits of this partnership is the facilitation of electronic health record sharing between Blue Shield and Sutter Health. By doing so, it aims to improve care coordination, minimize delays, and elevate the overall healthcare experience for patients.

Focus on Chronic Condition Management

In collaboration with Blue Shield, Sutter Health will participate in an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) designed to cater to patients with HMO and PPO plans who manage multiple chronic conditions. The objective is to enhance the quality of care while making healthcare more affordable.

For a full list of Blue Shield plans that provide access to Sutter Health doctors, hospitals, and services, individuals can visit sutterhealth.org/health-plan. Blue Shield members with inquiries can utilize the toll-free number found on the back of their member ID cards.

About Blue Shield of California

Founded in 1939 and headquartered in Oakland, Blue Shield of California strives to create a healthcare system that is sustainable and equitable for its members. As a nonprofit health plan with nearly 6 million members and over $27 billion in annual revenue, the organization focuses on providing high-quality care across various health plans, including dental, vision, Medicaid, and Medicare. In the last three years, the company has contributed more than $60 million to the Blue Shield of California Foundation to impact communities across the state. More information can be found at news.blueshieldca.com.

About Sutter Health

Sutter Health is a nonprofit healthcare system committed to providing comprehensive patient care throughout California. With a mission centered on innovative, high-quality patient care and community partnerships, Sutter Health is actively pursuing a plan to expand access and quality of healthcare services. Serving 3.6 million patients through its dedicated team of around 60,000 employees, physicians, and over 12,000 affiliated practitioners, Sutter Health focuses on transforming healthcare delivery, making it more connected and accessible. Detailed information on Sutter Health’s transformative initiatives can be found at sutterhealth.org and vitals.sutterhealth.org.

For media inquiries, contact Sutter Health at 1-800-428-7377 or Blue Shield of California at 510-607-2359.