Atrium, Novant health systems join Blue Cross partnership

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two additional North Carolina health care providers are joining five other state health systems and an insurer in a deal designed to help lower medical costs.

National insurance company Blue Cross and Blue Shield will soon be working with seven of North Carolina’s largest health systems in a finance-sharing program called Blue Premier.

Novant and Atrium health systems will join the deal Jan. 1.

[ALSO READ: Atrium, Novant will be in network for state health plan members next year]

They followed Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Cone Health, Duke University Health, UNC Hospitals and WakeMed, who helped formed the network in January.

Mark Gwynne, president of the UNC Health Alliance, said Blue Premier helps hospital systems compare prices and boost value. Under the deal, systems share cost savings or losses based on if they improve patient health outcomes.

Blue Cross said it’s designed to incentivize providers to cut costs and hold them financially accountable for inefficiencies.

Associated Press