Organization Created by Texas Medical Association and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
TMA PracticeEdge to Offer Physicians Options to Remain Independent
Feb. 5, 2015
Austin,
Texas —
The Texas Medical Association (TMA) and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
(BCBSTX) are launching TMA PracticeEdge to help empower a strong base of
independent physicians to provide quality, cost-effective care to their
patients. This first-of-its kind joint effort leverages the strengths of TMA’s
statewide physician membership and BCBSTX’s resources to benefit the entire Texas
health care community, including patients, hospitals, payers, and other
physicians.
TMA’s
membership includes more than 48,000 Texas physicians and medical students.
BCBSTX serves more than 5 million members in all 254 Texas counties.
TMA
PracticeEdge, LLC, will offer physicians access to enhanced patient care tools
and resources so they can better provide cost-effective patient care.
Physicians working with TMA PracticeEdge will be able to take advantage of the opportunities
available in the rapidly changing health care marketplace.
TMA and
BCBSTX share the goals of increased quality and cost-effective care found in
existing physician-led accountable care organizations (ACOs). TMA PracticeEdge
similarly will provide tools to reduce physicians’ growing data-entry burden to
allow them to focus on taking care of their patients. The goal is to establish
a system that pays physicians and providers based on the quality of patient
outcomes and patient care.
While most ACOs
are constrained by a specific hospital system, TMA PracticeEdge will help
connect physicians centered on the needs of their specific patients. TMA
PracticeEdge will offer participating physicians the means to provide coordinated
collaborative care, including prevention and management of chronic disease.
According to
the 2014 TMA Survey of Texas Physicians, approximately two-thirds of Texas
physicians work for themselves or in practices that are wholly owned and
controlled by other physicians. Most of these independent physicians
traditionally have not had access to the tools and resources needed to
participate in an ACO.
“BCBSTX
will work with TMA to give physicians alternatives
to today’s
fee-for-service system,”
said TMA President Austin I. King, MD. “With today’s announcement, BCBSTX
becomes the first health insurer to stand by independent Texas physicians in
support of 21st century patient care.”
“This
represents a significant investment in our relationship with the TMA and Texas
physicians, and will benefit our members, who value their relationships with
their independent physicians,” said Bert Marshall, President of Blue Cross and
Blue Shield of Texas.
TMA
PracticeEdge will help physicians lead health care innovation in today’s
evolving marketplace. PracticeEdge will offer participating physicians several
services, including:
- Consultations
to help reduce administrative burdens so they can spend more time focusing on
patient care.
- Help
for practices wishing to create care management teams to better serve patients
with complex or chronic health problems.
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TMA Media Contacts:
BCBSTX Media Contact:
Louis Adams, (214) 505-3034, louis_adams[at]bcbstx[dot]com
About Texas Medical Association
TMA is the largest state medical society in
the nation, representing more than 48,000 physician and medical student
members. It is located in Austin and has 110 component county medical societies
around the state. TMA’s key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of
all Texans.
About
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
Blue
Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) – the only statewide, customer-owned
health insurer in Texas – is the largest provider of health benefits in the
state, working with nearly 80,000 physicians and health practitioners and 500
hospitals to serve more than 5 million members in all 254 counties. BCBSTX is a
Division of Health Care Service Corporation (which operates Blue Cross and Blue
Shield plans in Texas, Illinois, Montana, Oklahoma and New Mexico), the
country's largest customer-owned health insurer and fourth largest health
insurer overall. Health Care Service Corporation is a Mutual Legal Reserve
Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Association.
BCBSTX.com | Twitter.com/BCBSTX | Facebook.com/BlueCrossBlueShieldOfTexas | YouTube
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