AMC Health to manage members with CHF and COPD effective April 1

Effective April 1, 2016, BCN will use AMC Health as the vendor for managing high-risk BCN HMO^SM (commercial) and BCN Advantage^SM members with congestive heart failure and BCN Advantage members with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. BCN will use the current vendor, Alere^TM Health, to manage these members through March 31.

Here's what you need to know about members moving to AMC Health from Alere:

• These members will receive letters in March 2016 letting them know about the transfer.
• AMC Health will contact members who require monitoring to introduce themselves and set up monitoring in early April.
• The primary care physicians for these members will continue to receive reports about these patients.

Members who no longer require telemonitoring will be contacted about enrolling in BCN's Case Management programs.

Currently, BCN HMO and BCN Advantage members in the CHF program use an in-home electronic weight scale and Interactive Voice Response symptom monitoring device that asks questions about how they feel twice a day. Their answers are reviewed by nursing staff and addressed based on the results. AMC Health will continue to use the scale and IVR symptom and behavioral assessment program but, in addition, they will send members a blood pressure machine. Readings from these devices are sent automatically to AMC Health.

BCN Advantage members in the COPD program will now be monitored with a pulse oximeter and inhaler cap. Depending on the member's response to these devices, an IVR automated phone call may take place or nurse assistance may be offered.

Look for additional information about this in the May-June 2016 issue of BCN Provider News, which will be available in late April.

Posted: March 2016
Line of business: Blue Care Network