During a pandemic there can be glimmers of light. I am proud to announce that we have brought production of #N95 masks (beginning to end) to #NC. THREAD

mediacenter.bcbsnc.com/news/made-in-n… The #MadeinNC collaboration will produce nearly 2 million N95 respirators per year to fill the unmet need for #NC frontline health providers during #COVID19.

🥁Drum roll please ...The 2019 results are in. Kudos to @ConeHealth, @DukeHealth-@PDCDuke
, @UNC_Health_Care, @wakehealth, and @WakeMed (WKCC), as well as @AledadeACO who share our vision for better, more affordable health care. We did it! 🎉 THREAD mediacenter.bcbsnc.com/news/blue-cros… Under #BluePremier in 2019, @BlueCrossNC’s value-based care program, providers across 5 health systems & practices affiliated w/ @AledadeACO served 536,000 members.

Important piece in @nytimes summarizing the promise and challenges ahead for #telehealth by @ReedAbelson. Privileged to join the conversation.

As I stated here, despite the promise, there’s a lot we don’t know about #telehealth. THREAD

nytimes.com/2020/08/03/hea… We need to understand how it delivers value to patients by improving outcomes, quality, and affordability of care 2/

📣‼️Good news – we've extended the deadline to Aug 14th for the financial support program 💰for independent primary care practices (Accelerate to Value).

We've received a lot of great questions. Here are answers to the top 6 to help make the smart decision to apply:

THREAD Q1: How is the Accelerate to Value application connected to joining a Blue Premier ACO?

Answer: These are two *separate* applications. Accelerate to Value is a program that gives you upfront payments 💰 to stabilize practice revenue during #COVID19.

📣 Today we can report #somegoodnews for sustainability of our health system. THREAD. mediacenter.bcbsnc.com/news/primary-c… We are on a mission to make health care better, safer, and more affordable by transforming the health care delivery system in North Carolina.

Step 1: Change the way we pay for health care.

‼️ ATTN: Independent Primary Care Physicians,

If you’re in need of financial support 💰, we’ve got a program for you.

Deadline to apply is July 31. Application takes only 10 minutes - don't delay apply today. ⌛️

THREAD

bluecrossnc.com/accelerate-val… The primary goal for this program is to provide upfront financial support that can help independent primary care practices weather this crisis. To do so, we will provide supplemental payments 💰 to stabilize @BlueCrossNC revenue at its pre-COVID-19 level.

3 step breakdown:

Behavioral health (BH) care is in crisis – but payers have the opportunity to shape a better future. Payment reform can create a #BH system that is flexible and responsive, especially during times like now. THREAD @Health_Affairs @HobbsKnutsonMD healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hbl… The crisis:
⬆️Rising suicide rates
⬆️Increases in drug overdose deaths
⬇️Substantially lower life expectancy among people with serious mental illness

Supporting independent primary care practices with emergency bridge funding through our Accelerate to Value program is essential.

But what if there was a way off the fee-for-service hamster wheel? 🐹 THREAD At @BlueCrossNC, we know that the best primary care takes more time⌚️, needs to be available apart from an in-person visit during normal business hours.

We’re proud to launch our Accelerate to Value program today.

https://twitter.com/RahulRajkumar11/status/1275806594983493632

🚧Here’s how it works: THREAD🚧 First, independent primary care practices apply and attest to requirements – that they’ll maintain access for our @BlueCrossNC members, use telehealth, and help our members navigate through the unique health care challenges of the pandemic.

#COVID19 has shone light 🔦 on the failures of our health care system. Our biggest failure = undervaluing primary care. Independent primary care practices are in crisis today, but we can act now to avoid catastrophe.

https://twitter.com/RahulRajkumar11/status/1275806594983493632?s=20

Before the virus, underinvestment in primary care was already to blame for poor access and delivery of low value care.

📢 Dear Independent Primary Care Providers: Today @BlueCrossNC is launching a new program to help stabilize revenue for your practices. This is in direct response to the toll that #COVID19 has taken on your practice revenue. mediacenter.bcbsnc.com/news/blue-cros… Participating practices will receive supplemental payments to stabilize @BlueCrossNC revenue for core primary care services at your pre-COVID-19 (2019) levels.

IMPORTANT NEWS: We’re extending our expanded reimbursement policy for telehealth visits through the end of 2020. YTD, we’ve had an increase of nearly 4500% in telehealth utilization compared to this period in 2019. Here's what that allows us to do. THREAD bit.ly/2YQLH5e #COVID19 is driving long-term changes in how doctors and patients use telehealth. As one of the first plans to flip the switch – and pay for telehealth at parity across the board – we’re proud to help lead this change.

We are all in this together. Our commitment to support our members, employers, providers and community organizations during the #COVID19 pandemic is projected to reach up to $593 million. mediacenter.bcbsnc.com/news/blue-cros… This commitment falls into three buckets: increasing access to care, financial support for members, employers and providers, and new community investments to address the impact of COVID-19

We are all in this together. Supporting our members means supporting clinicians. That’s why @BlueCrossNC is taking steps to increase provider cash-flow, remove administrative tasks, and reduce strain on the health system. bit.ly/3e84os0 #COVID19 1/ Reducing strain on the health care system. We’ve expanded virtual care to pay providers the same for visits by video or phone that we pay for in-office visits. blog.bcbsnc.com/coronavirus-pr…

All of us are vulnerable to #COVID19. We are in this together – @BlueCrossNC is working to remove barriers to care. For our members diagnosed with COVID-19, we are waiving cost-sharing (deductibles, co-payments, and coinsurance) for COVID-19 treatment. ow.ly/octk50z2Jn1 This applies to both in-network and out-of-network providers. We will directly reimburse out-of-network providers at our in-network or Medicare rates. We will shield members from balance billing by out-of-network hospitals.

During this epidemic, we want to help our members – and all North Carolinians -- find the right care, at the right place, at the right time through this site: bluecrossnc.com/coronavirus We’ll be keeping this site up-to-date with the latest information on what we’re doing for our members – and who to call if you have signs/symptoms of #COVID-19

👋Hey, clinicians! Tell Your Patients to Stay Home and See You via Video or Phone. We’ll pay for it! Make the change now! bluecrossnc.com/coronavirus-pr… Have we got your attention? We hope so. We really need our members and everyone in #NC to adopt #socialdistancing ASAP. We need and want you to use telehealth.

Another post to underscore the point -- We are covering telehealth/virtual services the same as in-person provider visit (at parity) for dates of service starting March 6. This also includes TELEPHONE-only visits. ☎️ow.ly/WmjP50yLtfp For providers or members who don’t have access to secure video systems, use the telephone for virtual visits. Here is a list of example clinical scenarios and guidance on how to leverage telehealth for your patients: ow.ly/WmjP50yLtfp

We support clinicians on the front lines and the #NC health system in mounting a heroic response to the #COVID19 outbreak. The coordinated and accelerated actions we take together in the next few weeks can impact the lives of millions of people. ow.ly/WmjP50yLtfp 👇This thread contains important and practical information for our @BlueCrossNC network providers on 1) telehealth, 2) early refills on medications, 3) testing for #COVID19, and 4) helping your patients get the care they need. Find all info here: ow.ly/WmjP50yLtfp

The eighth #NC health system, @FirstHealth, has joined our value-based care program Blue Premier. This agreement moves @BlueCrossNC closer to its goal of having 50% of members served by providers in value-based, shared-risk agreements in 2020. mediacenter.bcbsnc.com/news/firstheal… Health care systems across #NC continue to embrace Blue Premier as the future of value-based care and shared accountability for improving health.

We’re expanding our coverage commitment again today. Importantly, we will cover our members’ costs for #Coronavirus testing. blog.bcbsnc.com/2020/02/what-y… These changes reflect our commitment to protect the health of our members and give providers the tools they need to care for our members.