Trinity Health and Ascension Health announced the formation of a new business entity to coordinate health care across all of Michigan. Together Health is a separate, freestanding organization which will have its own Board, CEO and committee structure. The two systems will work with their employed and independent physician leaders to develop population health based contracts and health care delivery systems that offer seamless, coordinated care. Together Health Network will also work in concert with payers to develop health plan products for public and private health exchanges, as well as direct-to-employer offerings.

Ethan Rii and I will be discussing these types of alliances at the AHLA Annual Meeting in New York City on June 30 – July 2, 2014. “Joint Operating Agreements: Everything Old is New Again” will discuss the JOA model and other approaches health care providers are using to work together to consolidate operations, coordinate care and develop risk-based contracts. Our presentation is one of ten presentations at the AHLA Annual Meeting on how providers are meeting the challenges of health care reform through joint ventures, consolidations, clinical integration and payer contracting strategies.