Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Expands Network of Hospitals to Serve Hoosier Healthwise Members
Expansion will provide greater access to members throughout the state and in rural areasAnthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana announced the expansion of its Hoosier Healthwise network of hospitals to include Clarian Health Partners. Anthem provides health care benefits to more than 123,000 enrollees in the Hoosier Healthwise Medicaid Managed Care program.
Under this new agreement, members will have access to seven additional hospitals across the state, including: Methodist Hospital, Indiana University Hospital, Riley Hospital for Children, Clarian West Medical Center, Clarian North Medical Center, LaPorte Hospital and Bedford Regional Medical Center.
"We know that access to health care providers is critical for the members we serve" said Leslie Naamon, regional vice president for community and network management. "We are very pleased to have Clarian join our network of hospitals, as this will provide our members with greater access throughout the state, and more importantly, we will be able to provide our members in rural areas with access to needed hospital services."
"Clarian is pleased to participate in Anthem's Medicaid product. Our goal is always to provide the broadest access possible to all residents of Indiana by our participation in health plans," said Daniel F. Evans, Jr., president and CEO, Clarian Health.
Since being awarded the contract to provide health care benefits to members of the Hoosier Healthwise Medicaid Managed Care program in 2006, Anthem has been actively expanding their list of hospitals and physicians. In addition, in August 2007, Anthem opened four Community Resources Centers (CRCs) throughout the state. Located in Indianapolis, Evansville, Columbus and Merrillville, the CRCs are part of a unique community-based model designed and developed by Anthem's State Sponsored Business to deliver individualized health care coordination to members and their communities. The centers are staffed by a dedicated, and often bilingual, team and offer local residents and providers access to health programs and services to address specific community needs, such as disease-management programs for asthma or diabetes.
About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana is a subsidiary of WellPoint, Inc. (NYSE: WLP), whose mission is to improve the lives of the people it serves and the health of its communities. It is the largest health benefits company in terms of commercial membership in the United States, and an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, serving members as the Blue Cross licensee for California; the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area), Nevada, New Hampshire, New York (as Blue Cross Blue Shield in 10 New York City metropolitan and surrounding counties and as Blue Cross or Blue Cross Blue Shield in selected upstate counties only), Ohio, Virginia (excluding the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.), Wisconsin; and through UniCare. Through its nationwide networks, the company delivers a number of leading health benefit solutions through a broad portfolio of integrated health care plans and related services, along with a wide range of specialty products such as life and disability insurance benefits, pharmacy benefit management, dental, vision, behavioral health benefit services, as well as long term care insurance and flexible spending accounts. More information about Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is available at www.anthem.com.
