Adventist Health, Regence and Tuality Healthcare Announce Individual Health Care Partnership

April 23, 2012 -- Adventist Health, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon and Tuality Healthcare have entered into a partnership to provide in-network care to select Individual members in the Portland metropolitan area.

Beginning October 1, 2012, select Regence Individual members will be transitioned from their current PPO network to one of two Oregon Select networks in a move designed to provide members continued quality care and monthly premium affordability.

Members were directed to a partnering health system based on their proximity to the hospitals and clinics in the Adventist and Tuality networks. In most cases, members living in Washington and Yamhill counties will integrate into the Tuality Healthcare system, while those living in Multnomah and Clackamas counties will integrate into the Adventist Health system. Select zip codes were excluded based on geography and lack of network proximity. While members were automatically directed to the nearest Oregon Select network, they will be provided with the opportunity to transfer among these providers, if they prefer.

“Adventist Health is comprised of a wide network of medical clinics and a full-service medical center which is ranked as one of America’s Safest Hospitals, serving 900,000 patients on the east side of the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area,” said President and CEO Tom Russell. “Regence members, in our care, can access exceptional quality care at an affordable cost through our high performing network representing nearly 400 primary care and specialty care providers strategically located across Multnomah and Clackamas counties.

With the cost of medical care in Oregon continuing to rise, Adventist, Regence and Tuality share a common vision that close collaboration is critical to increase health care access and improve individuals’ ability to afford coverage.

“Bending the cost curve and making health care more affordable is a critical challenge that we must address. No one group can do it alone. This is an example of health care collaboration that unites doctors, hospitals, insurers and patients around a shared goal of affordability and quality care,” said Dick Stenson, president and CEO of Tuality Healthcare.

Members should expect to receive letters about this change in the coming week and detailed information packets to follow.

These network changes, received by approximately 20,000 Individual members, do not affect offerings in the Group or Medicare lines of business, nor do they affect members in Clark County, Washington.