TriWest Awarded Contract to Administer VA Patient-Centered Community Care Program

PHOENIX, Sept. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- TriWest Healthcare Alliance has been awarded a five year contract by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to administer the VA Patient-Centered Community Care (VAPCCC) program to serve nearly half of the Veterans eligible for care in the country.

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The VAPCCC contract enhances access to health care services for Veterans by making a quality provider network available close to the Veteran's home. This contract ensures Veterans receive coordinated, high quality care in their community when VA refers behavioral health and specialty care to the network.

"TriWest is humbled and proud to have been awarded this contract. We look forward to the privilege of serving our nation's heroes and partnering with VA to enhance access to care for Veterans in 28 states," said TriWest Chief Executive Officer and President, David J. McIntyre, Jr. "We have proven expertise in providing access to quality health care and pride ourselves on delivering best-in-class customer service to our nation's Veterans, even in the most rural areas. It's who we are. It's what we do.  Supporting VA and our fellow citizens through this new program will be a significant privilege."

Through VAPCCC, TriWest will provide access to high quality health care services through their network of providers as well as referral management, patient appointing, medical documentation tracking, coordination of admissions and discharges in community facilities, clinical quality management and claims payment. According to VA, the total value of the VAPCCC contract over a five year period is estimated at $4.3 Billion.

"After serving as a Navy physician for 26 years, I fully appreciate TriWest's strong culture of service," said Frank Maguire, TriWest's Chief Medical Officer for the past 10 years. "Veterans can be assured that we will apply the full measure of our knowledge, compassion, experience and our owner's expansive provider network to deliver access to high quality specialty and behavioral health care they've earned and deserve."

TriWest Healthcare Alliance was founded in 1996 by 16 not-for-profit health plans and two university hospital systems to provide Service members and their families, and Veterans and their families, with access to high quality health care and customer service. According to Rich Boals, TriWest's Chairman of the Board and the President and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, "it has been and remains an honor to have the opportunity to deliver excellence for those who have sacrificed so much for their fellow Americans at a solid value to the taxpayer.  And, we are looking forward to delivering this service in support of VA as it seeks to meet the needs of our nation's heroes."

The geographic area includes VAPCCC Regions 3, 5 and 6, encompassing Veterans Integrated Services Network (VISNs) 9, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21 and 22. The VISNs cover all or portions of 28 states, including: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia, as well as American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.

About TriWest Healthcare Alliance

TriWest Healthcare Alliance has been On a Mission to Serve^® America's military families and Veterans since 1996. It is our privilege to deliver award-winning customer service and provide access to high-quality health care including behavioral health, crisis management and counseling for this deserving population.

SOURCE TriWest Healthcare Alliance