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Massachusetts Blues adds 1,100 physicians to "alternative quality contract"

NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Dec. 14, 2009

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One of Massachusetts' largest medical groups, Caritas Christi Heath Care, has signed on to an "alternative quality contract" with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. The new arrangement will mean Caritas agrees to be paid a global fee supplemented by a quality-based incentive payment rather than being paid on a fee-for-service basis.

Caritas runs 400 physician offices with about 1,100 physicians and owns six hospitals across the state.

The contract with Caritas means that 20% of the Massachusetts Blues' network physicians are now working under this type of deal with the plan.

A state commission recommended earlier in 2009 that the entire health care system in Massachusetts adopt such a global payment system and abandon fee-for-service payment, but no legislation has been introduced to push the idea forward.

Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/12/14/bibf1214.htm.

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