Blue Cross And Blue Shield Companies Join
Primary Care Physician Groups, National Employers And Consumer Groups
To Explore New Approach To Patient Care

CHICAGO – The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) and participating Blue
Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies have joined with four major U.S. physician
groups, national employers and national consumer groups to examine a patient care model
that places the patient and primary care practice at the center of care.

Known as the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH), the initiative is supported by the
Patient Centered Primary Care Collaborative (PCPCC), an alliance of the American
Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the
American College of Physicians (ACP), the American Osteopathic Association (AOA),
leading health benefits companies, national consumer groups and employers.

Patient-Centered Medical Home
The PCMH creates a healthcare setting that is a collaborative partnership between the
patient and personal physician. Patients who choose to receive care in this setting have
the benefit of a medical home, overseen by a trusted primary care physician of their
choice, to help them through today’s complex medical system. Explaining the role of
specialists, suggesting appropriate and compassionate treatment options, answering

questions about illnesses, and coordinating the care ordered by specialists are

cornerstones of the PCMH. The PCMH encompasses care for all stages of life including
acute and chronic care, preventive services and end-of-life care.

“The Patient-Centered Medical Home creates durable and meaningful relationships among
families, their doctor’s care teams and health plans. The care is accessible, continuous
and compassionate with care deliverers and patients working together. In this model,
patients can become empowered and ultimately make healthier lifestyle decisions,” said
Scott P. Serota, BCBSA president and chief executive officer.

Pilot Demonstrations
In conjunction with the PCPCC, Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies have committed to
work toward the development and implementation of a series of medical home pilot
demonstrations that will test different models, sponsored by PCPCC and its participating
stakeholders, which will explore effective means of provider reimbursement, integrate
quality improvement, care management and patient educational tools into primary care
practices. Patients will be engaged to understand the benefits of receiving care under the
medical home model and will have the option of selecting to receive care through a
Patient-Centered Medical Home demonstration. These pilot programs will allow
participating BCBS companies, participating primary care medical societies and physicians
to learn more about the most effective design of the Patient-Centered Medical Home.

“The pilot demonstrations will also contribute to the evidence in current health services
research which suggests that patients who have a medical home, overall, are healthier,
experience a higher quality of care and receive that care more cost effectively,” said Carole
Flamm, MD, MPH, executive medical director, BCBSA Office of Clinical Affairs.

The PCMH model is based upon the principles advanced by the four primary care
physician groups – the AAFP, AAP, ACP and AOA – that improve patient care by
rewarding the comprehensive delivery of primary care by expanding the role of caregivers
as coordinators. This meets the multi-faceted needs of today’s patients.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies participating in the PCMH demonstrations are:
· Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama
· Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield (selected Plans)
· Capital Blue Cross
· CareFirst, Inc.
· Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida
· Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Hawaii
· Highmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield
· Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey
· Blue Cross of Idaho
· Independence Blue Cross
· Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois
· Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City
· Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts
· Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan
· Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
· Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
· Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Dakota
· Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon
· Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island
· Regence BlueShield
· Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina
· Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Tennessee
· Triple S (Puerto Rico)
· Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont
· Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa
· Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Dakota
· Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Western New York

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is a national association of 39 independent,
community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that
collectively provide healthcare coverage for more than 99 million individuals – nearly onein-
three of all Americans. For more information on the Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Association and its member companies, please visit www.BCBS.com.

About the PCPCC
The Patient Centered Primary Care Collaborative is a coalition of major employers of more
than 50 million Americans, consumer and advocacy groups and the American Academy of
Family Physicians, the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of
Pediatrics, and the American Osteopathic Association, with a combined membership of
more than 330,000 physicians. The PCPCC believes that the patient-centered medical
home will improve the health of patients and the U.S. healthcare delivery system. For
more information about the PCPCC, visit: www.patientcenteredprimarycare.org.
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