Henry Ford signs direct employer insurance plan contract with General Motors

Credit: Mike Russell.

Henry Ford Health System has announced its first ever direct to employer healthcare plan, in a contract with General Motors that is expected to lower cost by using its value-based integrated system to monitor chronic conditions and promote wellness.

During open enrollment this fall, an estimated 24,000 GM salaried employees and their families will have the insurance plan option ConnectedCare, for access to 3,000 Henry Ford primary and specialty care providers starting in 2019.

The agreement is similar to what is being talked about as the future business model for the Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase healthcare collaboration, in insuring its total 1 million-plus employees to cut down on expenses while using Amazon's consumer-centric skills to keep track of individual's health and drive healthier options.

"GM's upcoming ConnectedCare option comes from our ongoing quest to improve employee health, while also seeking to offset rising healthcare costs for both the employee and the company," said Sheila Savageau, U.S. Healthcare Leader, General Motors. "Partnering with a regional healthcare leader like Henry Ford Health System enables us to provide an innovative new plan option for high quality, affordable care."

ConnectedCare is designed to lower costs by improving the overall health and wellness of participants through a connected provider system, Henry Ford said.

Henry Ford's value-based care platform includes integrated electronic medical records which allows physicians in the network to use a common IT platform, avoiding duplicative tests and reducing errors.

The system's patient engagement tools allow for interventions and clinical support for at-risk patients.

Physician alignment rewards improved patient outcomes.

"These tools, along with the collaborative network of physicians that we've assembled, have enabled us to make an immediate and positive impact on our patients," said Bruce Muma, MD, CMO and interim president and CEO, Henry Ford Physician Network. "Additionally, we are actively growing our network of services and creating more innovative partnerships with aggressive goals for quality and efficiency improvements."

GM employees will have access to more than 3,000 primary care and specialty care physicians across the seven-county eligibility area.

Patients who choose this option will get behavioral health services, hospitalization, emergency care, pharmacy and wellness services.

GM ConnectedCare enrollees and family members will have dedicated resources for appointment scheduling and other services, including help with selecting a primary care physician. Participants will have access to same-day or next-day appointments with a primary care physician and the ability to see a specialist within 10 business days.

Additionally, they will have access to digital health tools including Henry Ford MyChart, which allows patients to access several virtual visit options at participating clinics, view test results, message their doctor, request prescription renewals and pay bills through their smartphone, tablet, or personal computer.

As part of the multi-year contract, Henry Ford will also help ConnectedCare members keep track of their health with regular wellness exams, monitoring of chronic conditions, and preventive screenings for diseases such as colon cancer, breast cancer and depression.

The health system will also help members choose care options such as walk-in clinics rather than emergency rooms for minor illness and injury. 

Henry Ford said it would measure overall customer satisfaction.

"That's one of the aspects that really excites us about a direct to employer arrangement like this, said William Conway, M.D., CEO, Henry Ford Medical Group. "It's a new and unique way to both partner with our patients and to hold ourselves accountable, not just for their health, but also for their level of satisfaction with what we're doing."

Henry Ford Health System is a six-hospital system headquartered in Detroit, Michigan.

"We are honored that General Motors chose Henry Ford for its first direct contract in Southeast Michigan," said Wright L. Lassiter, III, president and CEO, Henry Ford Health System. "We are very committed to addressing the affordability of healthcare – offering exceptional care while bending the cost curve for consumers in the communities we serve."

Twitter: @SusanJMorse
Email the writer: susan.morse@himssmedia.com