Somatus and BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee have entered into an outcomes-based agreement to provide kidney care to the plan’s Medicare Advantage members with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).
March 14, 2019
VIENNA, Va. — Somatus is partnering with BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee to provide kidney care to the plan’s Medicare Advantage members with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). The companies have entered into an outcomes-based agreement to improve member health and quality of life. Together, they will empower members to be as healthy as possible and spend more time in their homes and less in institutional care environments.
“This innovative partnership with Somatus will help us drive improvement in the quality of life for our members receiving dialysis, enabling them to stay out of the hospital and instead do more of what matters to them,” said Dr. J.B. Sobel, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Medicare Products at BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. “We’ll also make it easier for them to follow their provider’s care plan for any other chronic conditions they may be managing outside of their kidney disease.”
Somatus will use its experienced field-based nursing and renal care team to provide integrated care across all settings: inpatient, outpatient, dialysis center, and home. BlueCross members will benefit from customized support and care plans that include nutrition and health coaching, home dialysis modality education, medication management, behavioral health, and social services.
“I am excited about this new care delivery model for dialysis patients in the BlueCross Medicare Advantage network, as tighter coordination of care has been shown to improve the long-term health outcomes,” said Dr. David Moulton, Medical Director of Clinical Integration with State of Franklin Healthcare Associates in Johnson City, TN.
“These two organizations have a common commitment to deliver better outcomes and a better health care experience for the members of our communities,” stated Dr. Ikenna Okezie, Co-Founder and CEO of Somatus. “We are honored to have a truly aligned partner in BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee to help us revolutionize kidney care across the state.”
About Somatus
Somatus is the leading provider of outcomes-driven care for individuals and communities living with chronic conditions. We partner with health plans, health systems, and clinicians to provide integrated care for patients with, or at risk of developing, cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) and other chronic conditions. The company’s personalized, whole-person approach leverages local multi-disciplinary care teams, predictive analytics, and intelligent technologies to delay disease progression, improve quality of life, and reduce total cost of care. Somatus serves patients and caregivers in all 50 states and DC. Learn more at www.somatus.com.
About BlueCross®
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee’s mission is to provide peace of mind through better health. Founded in 1945, the Chattanooga-based company is focused on serving more than 3.5 million members in Tennessee and across the country. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Inc. is an independent licensee of the BlueCross BlueShield Association. For more information, visit the company’s website at http://www.bcbst.com.
Media Contact
Derek Kung
EVP, Chief of Staff, Somatus Inc.
[email protected]