WellPoint to boost doctor reimbursements

WellPoint Inc., the Indianapolis-based health insurer that owns Empire BlueCross BlueShield in New York, said it will increase payments to some primary care doctors in an attempt to lower bloated health care costs.

Standard reimbursements will increase about 10 percent and the insurer will begin paying for services not typically compensated, such as medical planning for chronically ill patients, WellPoint said Friday.

Doctors will also become eligible to share in expected cost savings through 20 to 30 percent bonus payments. But under terms of the voluntary program, they'll be required to provide around-the-clock access to patients, and keep registries to better ensure ill patients get needed testing and medications. WellPoint hopes better patient monitoring and more attention to treatment planning will lead to fewer hospitalizations and better health, which in turn should lower costs.

WellPoint will seek to sign up 70 percent of its primary care physicians in the program, aiming to reduce projected health costs by 20 percent, which the insurer said would be partially shared with patients through lower premiums.

More than 2,500 Long Island primary care doctors in WellPoint's network could ultimately be eligible, but the insurer said it will narrowly focus the program when it begins later this year. Empire plans cover nearly 6 million New Yorkers.