MOUNTLAKE TERRACE, WA – Premera Blue Cross, Washington’s leading health plan, today announced a new three-year contract with MultiCare Health System and its Accountable Care Organization, MultiCare Connected Care, focused on improving the patient experience through value-based reimbursements.

The contract is an important first step toward moving from traditional fee-for-service medicine based on volume of care delivered to a value-based model that rewards quality and focuses on improving the patient experience. Premera and MultiCare will focus on making improvements in four broad categories including patient safety, surgical site infections, hospital-acquired infections and the overall patient experience.

“We are excited to continue our partnership with MultiCare which shares our commitment to making healthcare work better. Our goal is to work with healthcare providers to improve the overall patient experience by providing financial incentives that reward great performance,” said John Espinola, MD and Executive Vice President for Premera.

The new contract continues to provide in-network access for Premera members to all MultiCare facilities and clinics which are located throughout Pierce and King Counties.