Source: BCBSNC.com October 9, 2017
Diagnostic Imaging Cost and Quality Sharing to Begin in December
Beginning December 1, 2017, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) will expand its diagnostic imaging management program with AIM Specialty HealthSM (AIM) to inform referring providers and commercially-insured members about imaging costs, quality, and location alternatives available for specified high-tech imaging services. The expansion is designed to help both referring providers and our members better engage in the selection of imaging providers based on members’ individual needs.
In December, AIM will begin providing our members with information to help them make more informed choices about their health care. If a Blue Cross NC commercially-insured member is scheduled to have a specified diagnostic imaging test (computed tomography [CT/CTA] or magnetic resonance imaging [MRI/MRA]), an AIM representative may call the member if a comparable or higher-quality and/or lower-cost alternative site is locally available to them.
During this outreach, members will have an opportunity to reduce their health care expenses by selecting lower-cost providers or locations that report equal or better quality. If the member agrees to AIM’s suggested alternative, the AIM representative will help the member schedule the test. Members may still choose any participating imaging provider, and will not be denied access to services if they do not choose the lower-cost option.
Blue Cross NC originally announced plans to expand our diagnostic imaging management program with AIM in 2016. However, the program expansion has been temporarily on hold since its intended January 2017 start date. We appreciate the assistance of the many imaging providers who completed the quality component of the program using the OptiNet assessment. When the program goes live, these assessments will be used to provide information about imaging locations to our members, and ensure your imaging location appears in AIM’s online directory.
Imaging providers who have not completed the quality assessment can still complete the OptiNet assessment, available online at aimspecialtyhealth.com/goweb. If you have questions or need help completing the survey, please call AIM Customer Service at 1-800-252-2021.
Additional information about this program for Blue Cross NC’s commercially-insured members is available in these Frequently Asked Questions.
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