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Emory, Northside Joining Aetna Whole Health Project

Analysis  |  By Jack O'Brien  
   February 24, 2020

The two Atlanta-based provider organizations will have fully insured and self-insured network options through Aetna's new initiative.

Emory Healthcare and Northside Hospital System announced plans Monday to partner with Aetna through the insurer's Aetna Whole Health project.

As part of the initiative, Aetna will provide both Atlanta-based systems with fully insured and self-insured network options the insurer's health maintenance organization and exclusive produce organization products.

The project, which will launch on April 1, is slated to give Aetna Whole Health members access to hundreds of doctors at Emory and Northside facilities, including 14 hospitals and more than 500 outpatient care sites across the Atlanta region. 

"Over the past two years, we worked diligently to improve both the experience and cost structure for our members in the market," Frank Ulibarri, president of Aetna's Georgia market, said in a statement. "The result is a product that truly acts as a bridge, allowing more coordinated and accessible health care options, designed to lead to better outcomes."

Related: CVS Sloughs Off Key Player in Aetna Deal

Aetna, a subsidiary of CVS Health, also announced that the company will incorporate HealthHubs into the new care model. Currently, there are 16 HealthHubs in the Atlanta metro area, with plans to establish another 15 to 20 throughout the year.

During CVS' year-end earnings call, company leadership detailed plans to expand HealthHubs nationwide, growing from 50 locations in 2019 to more than 600 locations in 2020.

Related: Revenues Jumped 32% for CVS, Operating Income up to $12B

According to a press release, Aetna Whole Health aims to embrace key tenets of value-based care, including language to reward doctors based on improved quality of care, boost the patient experience with "care management programs," and lower medical costs through waste reduction and improved care coordination.

Related: Northside Hospital, Gwinnett Health System Get Merger OK

"Providing health care options will allow local residents to choose the most appropriate plan for themselves and their families, with a continued focus on excellence in quality, care delivery and outcomes,"  Jonathan S. Lewin, MD, CEO of Emory, said in a statement.

Related: Emory, Kaiser Permanente Form Population Health Collaborative

Correction: A previous version of this article referred to the initiative as "Aetna World Health" instead of "Aetna Whole Health."

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

Photo credit: JANUARY 27, 2014 - BERLIN: the logo of the brand "Aetna". / 360b / Shutterstock.com


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