Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon BCBSNJ) announced today the continued expansion of New Jersey’s largest Patient-Centered Medical Home Program. Three-hundred doctors joined the Program to help improve care coordination for an additional 71,000 Horizon BCBSNJ members, as of January 1, 2014.With this Program growth, Horizon BCBSNJ’s PCMH Program is now helping deliver better quality outcomes at lower costs for over 330,000 Horizon BCBSNJ members. More than 1,300 primary care doctors at over 450 office locations are participating in this state-wide Program.“Our patient-centered initiatives are designed to transform how health care is delivered in New Jersey with a focus on providing incentives for more coordinated care that results in better patient outcomes and satisfaction at a lower cost,” said Jim Albano, Vice President of Network Management and Horizon Healthcare Innovations at Horizon BCBSNJ. “A growing number of our network doctors are embracing these initiatives and their collaboration has been vital to the success to date.”A PCMH coordinates patients’ health care needs, and helps ensure that they receive quality care, in the right setting and at the right time. This approach provides personalized, proactive and comprehensive care that enables patients to become engaged in their health care.Under this Program, participating practices take on greater accountability to provide their patients with more comprehensive, coordinated health care. PCMH practices also have an opportunity to receive outcome-based or shared-savings payments, provided they meet specified goals for achieving better health outcomes, improving the patient experience and lowering the cost of care.This expansion is coupled with Horizon BCBSNJ’s new Patient-Centered Pediatric Program, which was announced last month. The Pediatric Program, which is a patient-centered program for pediatric members, will benefit an additional 100,000 Horizon BCBSNJ pediatric members. More than 630 pediatricians and family practice doctors at over 110 practice locations throughout New Jersey are participating in this family-focused program to improve the health of children.Horizon BCBSNJ has a number of patient-centered programs, including Accountable Care Organizations, Patient-Centered Medical Homes, and programs focused on Episodes of Care (i.e. joint replacement). More than 500,000 Horizon BCBSNJ members are now benefiting from Horizon BCBSNJ’s patient-centered programs that are working to improve patient care while controlling costs.About Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New JerseyHorizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the state’s oldest and largest health insurer, is a tax-paying, not-for-profit health services corporation, providing a wide array of medical, dental, and prescription insurance products and services. Horizon BCBSNJ is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, serving 3.7 million members with headquarters in Newark and offices in Wall, Mt. Laurel, and West Trenton. Learn more at www.HorizonBlue.com.