Sutter Health | Aetna adds Stanford Health Care to network
The joint venture between provider and payer, which launched last year, has grown to about 50 plan sponsors across 15 counties.
Sutter Health|Aetna has added Stanford Health Care to its network of providers.
Sutter Health|Aetna is the joint venture launched last year between the Sacramento, California-based health system and the national insurer. It offers self-insured preferred provider organization health plans to businesses in the Northern California area.
It has grown to about 50 plan sponsors across 15 counties.
WHY THIS MATTERS
This represents another expanded partnership between a provider and payer, though this is in the commercial space.
Other recent partnerships, such as the one announced between Duke Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, have capitalized on the Medicare Advantage market.
Stanford Health Care recently launched a Medicare Advantage plan with Lumeris called the Stanford Health Care Advantage, in northern California.
The partnerships allow providers and insurers to expand their reach and get access to population health data to lower costs and improve outcomes.
The addition of Stanford Health Care gives Sutter Health|Aetna's network members in Northern California access to the network's more than 1,500 specialists and nearly 200 primary care physicians throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
THE TREND
With the addition of Stanford Health Care, the Sutter Health|Aetna joint venture features two nationally recognized healthcare systems and access to a Northern California network that includes 33 hospitals, more than 1,700 primary care physicians, more than 9,400 specialists, 74 urgent care locations and 25 walk-in clinics.
ON THE RECORD
"The inclusion of Stanford Health Care, with its physicians from across Stanford Medicine, to our high-quality network will not only expand the provider network for our plan sponsors and members, but also provide access to another highly ranked health care system," said Steve Wigginton, CEO of Sutter Health|Aetna. "This addition will help us in our goal to create a unique offering for Northern California employers and their employees centered around a superior consumer experience and market-leading value."
Mark Klimek is an independent writer and editor with 20 years' experience covering financial issues, healthcare and more.
