Aetna has entered into its first pediatric Accountable Care Organization, teaming up with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to coordinate care for young patients. The ACO will cover more than 1,100 CHOP physicians who care for Aetna commercial plan members up to age 19 in the greater Philadelphia area, including Burlington County, New Jersey.
Aetna says the move is part of a company-wide plan to move completely away from fee-for-service to value-based payment for healthcare services. Under the agreement, the Hartford, Connecticut-based payer will reward physicians for meeting specific quality measures, lowering costs and increasing patient satisfaction. Doctors and the hospital will be paid for keeping people healthy, managing chronic diseases and avoiding preventable hospitalizations.
Patient satisfaction lately has been mentioned as a “plus one” in the “Triple Aim” of safer care, improved population health and reduced cost in healthcare.
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“Aetna is engaging in hospital collaborations that promote coordinated, high-quality care, and an improved patient experience at lower costs,” Laurie Brubaker, president of Aetna’s Pennsylvania operations, said in a company statement.