Three Area Health Systems Join Forces To Provide Benefits For Their Employees
By Brad Segall
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) - Three Philadelphia-area health systems are partnering up to jointly manage the health benefits and care for their employees and their families.
Changes coming under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, have sparked a collaborative among Abington Health, Einstein Healthcare Network and Aria Health. The hospitals will remain independent but the partnership expands access to care for their combined 30,000 employees and their families.
"As we see the future, we need to assure that we can provide better care for individuals and families," said Laurence Merlis, President and CEO of Abington Health. "[to assure] that we can provide better health for populations and that we can do that at a lower cost."
A new jointly run company will manage the insurance and care with a focus on the prevention of disease and management of chronic illness rather than treating them when they are sick and performing procedures in the hospitals.
Long term, they hope to offer a network of providers and services to other self insured companies.
