Centura Health Implements New Pricing Strategies to Optimize Health Care Value

October 7, 2014

(ENGLEWOOD, COLO.)Centura Health, the regions health care leader, is implementing new pricing strategies to optimize health care value and meet population health needs. As Centura Health moves upstream to manage health, it is committed to integrity and fairness with its prices, and will continue to respond to the ever-changing needs and demands of the communities it serves to provide the Total Health Solution and influence positive change.

In an era of consumer-driven health care, there is increased pressure to address the rising costs of health care, and for physicians to refer patients to cost-effective services that meet consumers individual price needs. Additionally, employers and insurers are offering high-deductible, consumer-driven insurance options and health insurance plans are providing price transparency tools. In placing financial responsibility and accountability on consumers for health care, consumers are, in fact, changing their behaviors to competitively research and compare services across hospitals and other health care facilities to help them make their own, customized value-based purchasing decisions.

Centura Health is committed to cooperating with and facilitating these consumer-based changes and is on the forefront of partnering with key stakeholders to make health care affordable without sacrificing clinical outcomes, accessibility and service excellence. Recent pricing strategies include:

  • Collaborating with insurance companies to align contracted rates to those generally offered by freestanding alternatives for several outpatient service lines, including high-tech radiology (MRI, CT, mammogram and ultrasound), physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, sleep studies, urgent care and outpatient surgery.
  • Aligning Centura Healths billed charges structure for MRI, CT, mammogram and ultrasound at all Centura Health hospitals in Metro Denver and Colorado Springs with freestanding alternatives, effective July 1, 2014.
  • Independently partnering with the Colorado HealthOP, Anthem and Humana to offer more affordable health insurance options on the Colorado Health Insurance Exchange.

Quote:
It is our responsibility to implement viable strategies that address the rising costs of health care to ensure consumers continue to have access to convenient, high-quality care, said Gary Campbell, president and CEO, Centura Health. Our commitment is to optimizing health care value and exhibiting leadership and diligence to ensure integrity in our prices. We will continue to find solutions that meet the health care needs of consumers.

    ###

    About Centura Health
    Centura Health connects individuals, families and neighborhoods across Colorado, Utah and western Kansas with more than 6,000 physicians and 17,100 of the best hearts and minds in health care. Through our 15 hospitals, six senior living communities, health neighborhoods, physician practices and clinics, home care and hospice services, and Flight For Life Colorado, we are making the regions best health care accessible and affordable in every community we serve. We believe you can inspire the people you care about to live healthier lives by encouraging them to do the little things that can make a big difference. Were Centura Health, and were here for your health. For information about Centura Health or any of the facilities in our network, please visit Centura Health website.

    Contact:
    Jennifer Wills
    Strategic Communications Manager
    Centura Health
    303-804-8222
    [email protected]