Medication Assisted Treatment Pilot Implementation Ahead of Schedule

Berlin, VT – Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont (BCBSVT) and Bi-State Primary Care Association (Bi-State) are pleased to announce the first commercial payer program supporting primary care and community providers delivering support services to patients receiving Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for substance misuse. Vermont is a leader in the Hub and Spoke model of treatment and this effort will improve an already valuable program.

 

Starting in October, BCBSVT is piloting with Community Health Centers of Burlington (CHCB) a value-based reimbursement program extending to “wrap around” support services provided by nurse case managers and counselors. This initiative was created through the collaborative efforts of BCBSVT and CHCB leadership and staff. Together we focused on providing increased access for BCBSVT members to receive these services, which have been shown to result in reduced ER admissions and positive member outcomes.

 

Alison Calderara, CEO of CHCB said that “this pilot is designed to close a critical care gap for our patients who are struggling with addiction. The goal is to ensure the wraparound care patients need for recovery is available and sustainable. CHCB just reached a milestone of 430 patients in treatment. This partnership could not have come at a better time to help us meet the needs of Vermonters.” 

 

“We are pleased to offer these enhanced services to our members, and expect they will benefit not only the individual in recovery, but also their families and communities,” said Joshua Plavin, MD, and Chief Medical Officer at BCBSVT.

 

In the near future, BCBSVT expects to deploy a similar model in Chittenden County and Bennington County through Community Health Teams.  Provider partners in those communities are equally at the table engaging in the development of new value-focused payment and delivery system programs.  Each community has different needs and BCBSVT is building the program to best fit the structure and needs of the patients. Eventually, BCBSVT expects to deploy the program on a broader scale through its FQHC providers and community-based models following success at these initial test sites, with the goal of expanding these services to all corners of the State. “We appreciate the hard work of BCBSVT and CHCB in developing this new collaboration, which is a great example of the opportunities Vermont has to support community-based care for the most vulnerable Vermonters,” said Georgia Maheras, Vice President Policy and Programs of Bi-State. 

 

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont is the State’s only Vermont-based, not-for-profit health plan, providing coverage for about 250,000 Vermonters. It employs about 400 Vermonters at its headquarters in Berlin, a branch office in South Burlington and its Information and Wellness Center in South Burlington’s Blue Mall, and offers group and individual health plans to Vermonters. More information about Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont is available on the Internet at www.bcbsvt.com. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont is an independent corporation operating under a license with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.

 

About Bi-State Primary Care Association:  Bi-State Primary Care Association is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that represents New Hampshire and Vermont’s 29 Community Health Centers that serve more than 300,000 patients annually through their 128 health center sites. Bi-State promotes access to quality, affordable primary health care with an emphasis on reaching underserved populations. Bi-State Primary Care Association was founded as a 501(c)3 charitable organization in 1986 with offices in Bow, NH and Montpelier, VT. 

 

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is an association of 35 independent, locally operated Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield companies.