Humana, Epic to Collaborate on Real-Time Benefits Check

Humana's real-time benefits check tool will be integrated into Epic's e-prescribing workflow.

Humana Inc. and Epic Systems announced plans to collaborate on a push towards value-based care Tuesday morning, with an agreement to integrate Humana's real-time benefits check (RTBC) tool into Epic's e-prescribing workflow.

IntelligentRx, Humana's RTBC tool, will allow Epic to deliver "real-time pharmacy data throughout its network" and reduce administrative costs for providers, according to a Humana press release.

Alan Wheatley, president of Humana’s retail segment, said that almost half of the Louisville-based insurer's patients currently see a doctor who utilizes Epic, which will extend the benefits from the partnership.

“The nexus of these technologies will both improve the provider experience and patient access to care by empowering them to weigh evidence-based outcomes with patients’ individual medication cost and coverage,” Wheatley said in a statement.

Alan Hutchison, vice president of population health at Epic, echoed Wheatley's sentiments, adding that the payer-electronic health records collaboration aims to "improve quality and transparency for patients."

Humana stated its expectations for the collaboration as increasing the timeliness of data exchanges, improving medication adherence, and reducing the cost of specialty care.

The collaboration announcement comes one week after Humana publicly rebuked rumors that the insurer was exploring a merger with Centene Corporation.

Jack O'Brien is the Content Team Lead and Finance Editor at HealthLeaders, an HCPro brand.