BMC HealthNet Plan, HMC Agree on Contract

BOSTON — BMC HealthNet Plan (BMCHP) and Holyoke Medical Center (HMC), with its affiliate, Western Mass. Physician Associates, announced agreement on a renewed one-year contract.

Holyoke Medical Center first joined BMCHP’s Western Mass. provider network in 2001 when BMCHP began offering managed-care coverage in that area of Massachusetts. In the past 12 months alone, more than 10,000 BMCHP members, primarily those with MassHealth (Medicaid), received outpatient care through Holyoke Medical Center while nearly 600 received inpatient care. More than 4,500 BMCHP members have primary-care providers affiliated with Holyoke Medical Center.

“We value our longstanding relationship with Holyoke Medical Center, as they have always strived to ensure affordable, quality healthcare for our members in Western Massachusetts,” said Susan Coakley, interim president of BMCHP. “The collaboration between our organizations exemplifies the stewardship necessary to successfully administer taxpayer-funded programs.”

According to HMC Senior Vice President of Finance and CFO Paul Silva, “HMC treats a large number of BMCHP members and believes it is important to contract with not only BMCHP, but with all health plans that provide coverage to patients in our service area, which includes Holyoke and the surrounding communities.”

Western Mass. Physician Associates offers primary-care services at Holyoke Associates of Internal Medicine, Chicopee Medical Center, the office of Dr. Kevin Snow, and Western Mass. Pediatrics. Women’s health services are provided at Western Mass Ob/Gyn and Midwifery Care of Holyoke.

“BMC HealthNet plan participants will continue to find that the offices of Western Mass. Physician Associates strive to accommodate patient needs with prompt, new patient appointments, often within 24 to 48 hours,” said Vice President of Physician Services Rocco Mandaglio.