Blue Cross offers incentives and training to expand use of Collaborative Care Model

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is expanding its use of the Collaborative Care Model, a method of integrating behavioral health within a primary care setting, with participating practices. This national model** is designed to better meet the needs of patients who have behavioral health conditions, such as anxiety and depression.

Our Physician Group Incentive Program has developed an incentive structure for learning about and using the model. PGIP has joined forces with Michigan Medicine and the Michigan Center for Clinical Systems Improvement to provide training, support and technical assistance to specific practices. Training began in August 2020 and offers a tailored approach to implementing and sustaining CoCM services.

Currently, physician organizations select practices designated as Patient-Centered Medical Homes to implement this model, focusing on those that participate in Value Partnerships’ Provider-Delivered Care Management program. These practices are likely to have some of the infrastructure in place to allow them to implement the model more easily. Practices will begin implementing the model as they complete their training.

With CoCM, primary care physicians work closely with a consulting psychiatrist and a behavioral health care manager to address behavioral health issues. The psychiatrist and the behavioral health care manager meet weekly to review the cases of patients with mental health or substance use issues that have been identified in the primary care physician’s office. The care manager then brings any recommendations to the PCP, who makes the ultimate decision on whether to change the patient’s treatment. This cycle repeats until the patient’s behavioral health diagnosis is managed.

As we announced in the May Record, Blue Cross has been reimbursing medical practices for collaborative care codes and interventions, and recently eliminated member cost share for collaborative care services. These changes apply to Blue Cross’ commercial, Blue Care Network commercial, BCN Advantage℠ and Medicare Plus Blue℠ members. The overarching goal is to expand access and improve the quality of care for our members.

“Blue Cross is a leader in implementing this type of model and moving it into the commercial space,” said William Beecroft, M.D., medical director of behavioral health for Blue Cross and BCN. “Collaborative care is designed to increase behavioral health access, improve outcomes and alleviate provider burnout. Our goal is to become the national leader in the area of behavioral health, helping to make it more accessible and affordable while removing mental health stigmas.”

CoCM can also help reduce health care costs through better management of chronic conditions, reduced inpatient admissions or emergency department visits and improved medication management. A study** reported in JAMA Network Open last year confirmed that patients with a chronic disease and a mental health disorder cost twice as much as those without a mental health disorder.

Research has also shown that collaborative care provides significantly better outcomes for depression and anxiety than routine care, according to the University of Washington AIMS Center.**

While the model has been in use by early adopters at Blue Cross since 2017, a limited number of practices have implemented it as Blue Cross and its participating practices continue to develop the infrastructure and resources to support the model. We hope to implement the model in 50 new practices by the end of 2020 and will continue training, support and technical assistance through 2023.

Practices that are interested in learning more about the training and incentive opportunities available to them are encouraged to contact their physician organizations.

**Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan doesn’t own or control this website.