Blues Create Information Sharing Service as Public Utility

Two large health insurers are hoping a new "public utility" patient data sharing service will improve one of the most pernicious problems in American healthcare.

Blue Shield of California and WellPoint, the parent of Anthem Blue Cross, are investing a combined $80 million to start the California Integrated Data Exchange, as a “next generation” health information exchange service for providers, payers and patients.

Dubbed Cal INDEX, the service will offer California physicians, nurses and hospitals “a unified statewide source of integrated patient information.” It will be one of the largest exchanges in the country, starting off with the health records of a quarter of the state population, the companies say.

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Source: Healthcare Payer News