MeridianHealth Joins Community Care Physician Network of North Carolina to Create Greater Value for Patients through Advanced Medical Homes

RALEIGH, NC and DETROIT, April 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MeridianHealth (Meridian) and Community Care Physician Network, LLC (CCPN) confirmed an agreement today to build upon CCPN’s advanced medical home success and incorporate Meridian’s leading quality programs to create better outcomes for North Carolina Medicaid enrollees.

The announcement comes as North Carolina prepares for a transition to a Medicaid managed care program, which is anticipated to be implemented in 2019. Meridian is currently preparing to respond to the request for proposal being developed by North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

“Meridian’s experience implementing new managed care markets and their scalable, holistic care model aligns well with CCPN and the DHHS initiatives,” said Steven Wegner, MD, chief executive officer, CCPN. “Their focus on quality and being physician-led and physician-owned made them an appealing plan. We hope to combine our commitments to high-quality care and service for both beneficiaries and providers to provide a value proposition to the DHHS and the State of North Carolina.”

Through the arrangement with CCPN, Meridian will ensure access to high-quality care for Medicaid beneficiaries by using both CCPN’s clinically-integrated primary care network and the community-based care management of Community Care of North Carolina, Inc. (CCNC). Together, Meridian and CCPN aim to work with providers across each enrollee’s care continuum to provide the right care, at the right time, in the most appropriate setting.

“Our mission is simple: to provide accessible high-quality care in all of our service areas,” said Jon Cotton, corporate president, Meridian. “North Carolina’s provider community has developed a strong foundation for this transition, and we are excited to collaborate with a community-oriented, person-centered organization such as CCPN.”

“Independent practices are the backbone of primary care in North Carolina,” said Gregory L. Adams, MD, FAAP, a member of the CCPN Board of Managers and a pediatrician with Blue Ridge Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine in Boone, North Carolina. “CCPN’s clinician leadership will work collaboratively with Meridian to strengthen these practices and improve care that is delivered to Medicaid beneficiaries. This will preserve access to care and help the new Medicaid system be successful.”

Meridian plans to strategize with CCPN to identify opportunities for improving access to care for rural and limited access communities, referencing its experience serving similar communities in Michigan and Illinois. Meridian and CCPN’s dedication to practice transformation and value-based care is not only focused on large health systems, but also the independent health providers in rural and urban areas that are a vital part of the communities they live and work in.

“In any program, our goal is to supplement, not replace, successful programs,” said Raymond Pitera, chief development officer/executive vice president, Meridian. “Meridian shares a common passion with CCPN to ensure beneficiaries receive high-quality, affordable, and appropriate health care services. Our experience with outcome-based quality incentives aligns well with the goals and objectives of CCPN, and the North Carolina DHHS.”

“We have established an arrangement that incentivizes high-quality care and ensures program stability with the ultimate goal of improving health outcomes,” said Pitera.

About Meridian
Meridian is a family-owned, family-operated group of health plans with offices in Michigan and Illinois. Meridian’s affiliates include MeridianHealth (Medicaid), MeridianCare (Medicare), MeridianComplete (Medicare-Medicaid), MeridianChoice (Health Insurance Marketplace), and MeridianRx, a Pharmacy Benefit Management company. The National Committee for Quality Assurance has rated Meridian Health Plan of Michigan, Inc. and Meridian Health Plan of Illinois, Inc. 4 out of 5 according to NCQA Medicaid Health Insurance Plan Ratings 2017-2018. Meridian serves more than 1,000,000 members in four states. For more information, visit www.mhplan.com.

About CCPN
CCPN is a physician-led, clinically-integrated network (CIN) of advanced primary care medical homes. CCPN uses care management, population stratification, and practice transformation tools to maximize value for every patient they serve. With over 2,100 providers in over 650 practices throughout North Carolina, CCPN provides patient centered care across each patient’s care continuum using primary care as the start of a patient’s journey to better health. To learn more about CCPN, visit www.communitycarephysiciannetwork.com.