Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York and Kaleida Health today announced a new long-term agreement that ensures Highmark’s membership will continue to have access to Kaleida Health’s high-quality hospitals, facilities and services.
"Kaleida Health and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York share long traditions of caring for our communities," said Dr. Michael Edbauer, President, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York. "This new agreement ensures Kaleida Health, as a vital healthcare provider in our region, has the support needed to continue serving our members and community members.”
As part of the new agreement, Highmark BCBSWNY will work with Kaleida Health to enhance its value-based reimbursement programs for preventive health care as part of its overall commitment to making health care affordable and accessible.
Kaleida Health is the largest healthcare provider and the largest private employer in the area, and a major teaching affiliate of the University at Buffalo’s Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. It is affiliated with Great Lakes Health System of Western New York, the entity integrating Kaleida Health, Erie County Medical Center and the University at Buffalo.
“As we continue to dig out from the pandemic, rebuild and reimagine health care in Western New York, it is vitally important to have partners like Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield who will work with us to address quality, access and affordability for our patients," said Don Boyd, President and CEO of Kaleida Health. “Doing that – rebuilding and reimagining this entity called Kaleida Health – will not be easy. Despite many declaring the pandemic ‘over,’ we are far from it. In fact, the financial and operations headwinds that we face are enormous for us and the entire hospital industry. So, the need to change will come fast. We must get creative, and we must be nimble. All that said, I am confident that by working together with organizations like Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and our local payor community, we can get there.”
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Western New York, as the region’s leading health plan, continues to offer the most comprehensive hospital and physician network in the region to their membership locally, as well as nationally through the Blue Cross Blue Shield “Blue Card” program.
Kaleida Health facilities have received the Blue Distinction Center+ designations by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) for the following:
Buffalo General Medical Center, Spine Surgery
Buffalo General Medical Center, Cardiac Care
Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, Maternity Care
Buffalo General Medical Center, Bariatric Surgery
These designations are given by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) to only a select number of hospitals and health systems across the country based on quality and cost criteria. In addition, Kaleida Health facilities are also designated by BCBSA as Blue Distinction Centers for the following:
Buffalo General Medical Center, Knee and Hip Replacement
John R. Oishei Children's Hospital, Maternity Care
Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, Knee and Hip Replacement