Fortify Children’s Health and Anthem HealthKeepers Plus Announce New Partnership to Put Patients at the Center of the Health Care System

RICHMOND, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fortify Children’s Health, LLC and Anthem HealthKeepers Plus, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia’s Medicaid plan, have announced a new partnership to bring value-based health care to more than 25,000 of Anthem’s pediatric Medicaid members across the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The value-based agreement reflects a national health care shift toward a more coordinated model that emphasizes quality and better patient care experiences. The model aligns Fortify’s comprehensive network of primary care physicians, specialists and medical facilities caring for children with Anthem’s population health capabilities and primary care support programs.

“Fortify Children’s Health has a commitment to focusing not just on managing medical conditions, but on achieving an optimal level of wellness for the children we serve,” said Suzanne Brixey, MD, and Executive Director at Fortify. “Through this partnership with Anthem, we will improve the health of young people throughout the state and reshape the future of pediatric care in Virginia by utilizing data to reduce health disparities and ensure every child can access the resources they need to reach their full potential.”

As part of this program, Fortify clinicians have access to tools enabling real time collaboration and care coordination. By sharing timely and accurate data, Fortify clinicians will more readily identify gaps in care of Anthem members and find tailored support that can deliver improvements across cost, quality, and outcomes.

“Anthem works diligently to connect with its Medicaid members and provide innovative new technologies that can improve their overall health and well-being,” says Dr. Paul Gibney, Anthem’s Regional Managing Medical Director for its Virginia Medicaid business. “We understand the vital role providers play in reaching members for both their clinical and social needs. By partnering with Fortify, we’re able to identify gaps in care, address inequities in care, and create additional opportunities to improve outcomes for our pediatric members served by this partnership.”

As a clinically integrated network (CIN), Fortify clinicians have ready access to actionable data, collaborate on best practices and utilize care coordination initiatives while working with insurers to develop value-based payment methodologies to support population health. This arrangement with Fortify fits nicely into Anthem HealthKeepers Plus’ value-based care and provider collaboration strategies by emphasizing patient-centered care and value-based payment benefits, and rewarding providers, who deliver high-quality, coordinated care and sharing in the savings that result from improved care.

About Fortify Children’s Health, LLC:

Fortify Children’s Health is Virginia’s first clinically integrated network (CIN) dedicated to children and the clinicians who care for them. Led by physicians and people who are passionate about improving children’s health, our team is working to streamline the delivery of care through a community of peers that is collaborating to share information, develop best practices, and create value for pediatric clinicians and their patients. More information is available at www.fortifychildrens.org.

About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Anthem Health Plans of Virginia, Inc. trades as Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia, and its service area is all of Virginia except for the City of Fairfax, the Town of Vienna, and the area east of State Route 123. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and its affiliate HealthKeepers, Inc. are independent licensees of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Additional information about Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia is available at www.anthem.com. Also, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/anthemBCBS and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AnthemBlueCrossBlueShield.