After several months of negotiations, Blue Shield of California and the UCLA Health have agreed to new contract terms. Both parties are pleased to announce a three-year agreement, providing for services through Dec. 31, 2011.
The contract will allow for care to Blue Shield HMO and PPO members through all of the UCLA Hospital System facilities and will provide Blue Shield PPO members immediate access to the wide network of UCLA Medical Group primary care and subspecialty providers.
This agreement reflects Blue Shield and UCLA's joint commitment to provide Southern California communities with broad access to outstanding physicians and health care facilities. Members, including those from the California Public Employee Retirement System (CalPERS) and the Motion Picture Association, will benefit from UCLA's comprehensive offerings.
"We are delighted to have UCLA hospitals and physicians back in our network," said Juan C. Davila, Blue Shield's vice president of network management. "Our nearly 595,000 members in Los Angeles County will have broader access to quality medical care as a result of this agreement. Now that we have concluded this agreement, we are looking forward to jointly growing our membership in the Greater Los Angeles area."
"This was a very welcome event for all participants, who have worked hard and long to come to an agreement," said Dr. Thomas E. Sibert, president of the UCLA Faculty Practice Group. "Most important, however, in any resolution like this is the chance to once again restore a full relationship between families and individuals in Blue Shield who need medical services and the UCLA Health. We deeply regret any disruption in that relationship and look forward to helping our Blue Shield patients with their health care."
Blue Shield of California, an independent member of the Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit health plan dedicated to providing Californians with access to high-quality care at a reasonable price. Founded in 1939, it now has 3.4 million members, 4,700 employees, one of the largest provider networks and more than 20 office locations, providing a wide range of commercial and government products throughout the state. The company has contributed $100 million over the past three years to the Blue Shield of California Foundation to fund nonprofit organizations that improve access to quality health care in California. Contact your local agent or broker for more information about Blue Shield products and services, or visit the Blue Shield of California website at www.blueshieldca.com.
The UCLA Health, composed of the UCLA Hospital System and the UCLA Medical Group and its affiliates, has provided the best in health care and the most advanced treatment options to the people of Los Angeles and the world for more than half a century. UCLA's preeminence in health care a strength that comes from the union of research, teaching and excellence in patient care continues to be recognized nationally, internationally and in numerous forums. The clinical programs of Ronald Reagan UCLA Health - Santa Monica Medical CenterUCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital, the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA, and UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital comprise a system of hospital care that is unparalleled in California. Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center is consistently ranked one of the top five hospitals in the nation and the best in the western United States by U.S. News & World Report. At the same time, the UCLA Medical Group has been ranked among the best in Southern California for four successive years by the Integrated Healthcare Association. UCLA physicians and hospitals will continue to be world leaders in the full range of care, from maintaining the health of families to the diagnosis and treatment of complex illnesses. For more information about the UCLA Health, visit www.uclahealth.org.
