New arrangement also brings Erlanger providers into dual special needs network
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee and the Erlanger Health System finalized a new long-term agreement that supports affordable, high-quality care options for Chattanooga-area residents.
The agreement, which takes effect Jan. 1 and runs through June 2023, extends Erlanger’s participation in BlueCross coverage plans including Blue Networks P and S. In addition, Erlanger has entered into a new arrangement effective Dec. 1, 2018 to provide in-network care for patients enrolled in the insurer’s BlueCare Plus program, which serves individuals with complex needs who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid benefits. The health system also participates in the BlueAdvantage, BlueCare, TennCare Select, and CoverKids programs.
Officials said the agreement is an extension of Erlanger’s decades-long relationship designed to meet the evolving health care needs of the region while maintaining its position as the lowest-cost provider. More than 1,500 individuals in southeast Tennessee are served by the BlueCare Plus plan, which is expected to grow in the coming years. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, more than 23,000 people in the greater Chattanooga area are eligible for the program.
“This new agreement ensures our members will continue to have in-network access to Erlanger services,” said Scott Pierce, executive vice president and COO of BlueCross. “And we’re pleased it will provide our BlueCare Plus members more choices for quality health care, close to home.”
Erlanger President and CEO Kevin M. Spiegel, FACHE said, “Erlanger has always been committed to achieving the best outcomes for our patients, and this agreement serves as an opportunity to provide high-quality, cost-effective care for all patients throughout our region.”
About BlueCross®
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee’s mission is to provide peace of mind through better health. Founded in 1945, the Chattanooga-based company is focused on serving more than 3.5 million members in Tennessee and across the country. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Inc. is an independent licensee of the BlueCross BlueShield Association. For more information, visit the company’s website at bcbst.com.
About Erlanger Health System
Erlanger Health System is an academic medical center affiliated with the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, and is a Level-One Trauma Center for adults. Children’s Hospital at Erlanger is also the region’s only pediatric hospital providing the highest level of trauma, critical and inpatient care, as well as the region’s only Level IV neonatal intensive care unit. Erlanger is the only provider of tertiary care services spanning a 50,000 square-mile region encompassing southeast Tennessee, northwest Georgia, north Alabama and western North Carolina. The health system consists of seven hospitals and seven emergency departments, provides medical services for a fleet of six helicopters and offers centers of excellence in bariatrics, cancer, heart and lung, emergency, neuroscience, orthopedics, pediatrics, primary care, surgery, trauma, urology and women’s services. With a history that dates back more than a century, Erlanger is the tenth largest public healthcare system in the United States and the largest employer in Chattanooga, Tenn. Each year, 800,000 people are treated by the team of healthcare professionals who are part of Erlanger. Visit www.erlanger.org.
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