Independence Blue Cross (IBC) reported that its value-based arrangement with addiction treatment provider Caron Treatment Centers resulted in a 5.6% 90-day readmission rate during a 2019 pilot. Under the arrangement, IBC paid Caron one single upfront fee for IBC members receiving treatment for addiction disorder, and Caron was at risk for any readmissions that occurred within the first 90 days after discharge.
IBC and Caron reported the pilot outcomes in a presentation at the 2021 Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit. In the presentation, IBC reported that the readmission rates for six other addiction treatment providers in its network ranged from 11.6% to 25.7%. In total, 645 IBC members were treated for addiction during 2019; 71 received treatment at Caron.
Caron entered the value-based arrangement with IBC in 2017. The fee IBC pays Caron was not disclosed. In the presentation, Richard Snyder, M.D., IBC’s chief medical officer said the single payment is more than the rate IBC paid to the other addiction treatment provider organizations. However, he said the total cost of treatment has been about the same because Caron’s readmission rate was lower and IBC was not at-risk for the readmission cost.
Caron Treatment Centers is an internationally recognized non-profit organization that provides addiction and behavioral health care treatment, research, prevention, and addiction medicine education. The organization provides a continuum of care for teens, young adults, women, men, and older adults. Caron’s signature programming provides concierge treatment for executives, health care professionals, older adults and first responders. Caron’s program includes multidisciplinary treatment protocols with a median inpatient stay of 25 days, combined with a long-term disease management plan. Pennsylvania-based Caron provides services in Palm Beach County, Florida; Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta; and New York City. The organization is in-network with Capital BlueCross, Aetna, Highmark, and the Blue Card program, Independence Blue Cross, AmeriHealth Administrators, Independence Administrators, UPMC, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Employer Groups of Penn Medicine, and Tower Health.
IBC is a subsidiary of Independence Health Group, Inc. — independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, serving the health insurance needs of Philadelphia and southeastern Pennsylvania. Independence ended 2020 serving 8.1 million members nationwide.
IBC and Caron reported the outcomes at the Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit on April 7, 2021.
Contact information: Karen Pasternack, Senior Director of Media Relations, Caron Treatment Centers, 243 N. Galen Hall Road, P.O. Box 150, Wernersville, Pennsylvania 19565; 610-413-6938; Email: kpasternack@caron.org; Website: https://www.caron.org/
Contact Information: Diana Quattrone, Corporate Communications Manager, Independence Blue Cross, 1901 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103; 215-241-3113; Email: diana.quattrone@ibx.com; Website: www.ibx.com
