FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Click on the links below to learn about participating in Asante Health Network.

Asante Health Network FAQs

What is the Asante Health Network?

The Asante Health Network (AHN) was formed in 2014 under the name Health Alliance of Southern Oregon. It is a partnership of Asante and physician leaders in Southern Oregon to support regional health care transformation.

Asante Health Network provides a legal structure for independent and employed physicians and other health care providers such as hospitals to work together through risk-based relationships to improve the health of defined member groups, specifically to achieve better quality and lower costs of health care.

What is AHN’s mission?

Asante Health Network’s mission is to bring together providers (independent and employed) and other healthcare professionals to collaborate on clinical care and reimbursement models that focus on the “quadruple aim” of quality — improving the health of populations; enhancing the experience of care for individuals; reducing the per capita cost of health care; and attaining joy in work.

What are the benefits of participating in AHN?

Quality Improvement Initiatives. AHN providers are encouraged to collaborate in specialty-specific AHN quality improvement initiatives. These initiatives are led by AHN providers and can include quality-based incentive reimbursement.

In-Network Referral Status on the Asante EPIC System. Providers meeting AHN participation criteria are designated as “in-network” for referrals ordered on Asante’s medical record system (EPIC). This supports AHN’s mission of fostering a high-performing provider network focused on quality improvement.

Preferred Network Status with Asante’s Employee Health Plan. Individuals covered under Asante’s employee health benefit plan (approx. 10,000 covered lives) are incentivized to utilize AHN providers and facilities through significantly lower copays, deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs when utilizing AHN providers. Again, this supports the mission of AHN as a high-performing quality network.

Participation in AHN’s Payer Contracts. AHN providers are eligible to participate in all AHN Medicare and commercial payer contracts. In addition to traditional fee-for-service mechanisms, these contracts align quality improvement efforts and results with quality-based incentive payment(s).

Interest in the EPIC EMR System? AHN provider groups interested in evaluating a transition to the EPIC electronic medical record system are eligible to receive transition support from Asante along with deeply discounted pricing.

Who owns AHN and how is it governed?

Asante Health Network was formed by and continues to exist as a wholly owned subsidiary of Asante. The support AHN receives from Asante brings with it market credibility and presence; quality expertise and reputation; and the opportunity to impact medical services across the continuum of care.

AHN is governed by a Board of Managers, the majority of whom are independent providers.

What are the requirements for participation in AHN?

Participation in AHN happens at the group level. Therefore, regardless of the number of providers in the group, each group signs one Asante Health Network Provider Participation Agreement.

Active and reasonable participation in AHN’s Clinical Integration Program. This involves participation in the development of clinical practice guidelines using evidence-based medicine and adopting clinical practices that control costs while ensuring the highest quality.

Sharing data to help evaluate and adjust practice patterns as appropriate to promote the objectives of the AHN Clinical Integration Program.

Participate in AHN payer agreements if the payer has accepted the provider group’s compensation terms through AHN Messenger (see section on use of the AHN Messenger.)

What does joining the network involve?

Providers agree to collaborate with us to improve care for our patients and the community. This can involve activities such as developing clinical practice guidelines, participating in governance, sharing quality data, reviewing quality data, among others. Recognizing our providers are very busy; we commit to providing them with support and flexibility.

Providers sign an Asante Health Network Provider Participation Agreement. Participation in AHN happens at the group level. Therefore, regardless of the number of providers in your group, each group signs one agreement.

There are no fees to join the network.

Participation in AHN is non-exclusive. Providers are free to contract with other provider or payer organizations as they choose. Providers can terminate their AHN participation at any time.

Providers agree to evaluate their participation in AHN payer agreements as they are presented by AHN leadership. Providers are free to decline participation after this evaluation.

Provider Participation Agreement FAQs

Asante Health Network put in place a revised Provider Participation Agreement (PPA) effective Jan. 1, 2019. 
Provider groups need to sign the new AHN PPA to be a participant in AHN beyond Dec. 31, 2018.
What are the requirements to be a member of AHN?

Active and reasonable participation and data sharing in the AHN Clinical Integration Program is required. This involves willingness of the AHN provider group to review data and reasonably modify practice patterns. (See section 2.4 of the PPA.)AHN provider groups are required to

participate in all payer agreements executed by AHN for the AHN network and that accept the provider group’s fee schedule. (See next questions and section 2.5 of the PPA.)

How does an AHN provider participate in one or more of AHN’s payer contracts?

Asante Health Network provider groups make an independent decision regarding their participation status in AHN payer contracts.

To participate in an AHN payer contract, a provider group must independently set its compensation terms with the payer through AHN Messenger. This process is designed to ensure fee schedule rates are set and maintained in a confidential manner as required by federal and state law. (See separate information sheet on use of AHN Messenger.)

What if an AHN provider group doesn’t participate in one or more of AHN’s payer contracts?

If an Asante Health Network provider group chooses not to participate in an AHN payer contract, the provider group will not be allowed to participate in any shared savings or incentive programs made available to providers in payer contracts through AHN.

To be eligible to receive support and services from AHN (e.g., referral support, data analytics, quality and performance improvement, etc.), AHN provider groups must participate through AHN Messenger in at least one AHN payer contracts.

Are AHN providers restricted in their ability to participate in payer agreements or provider organizations outside of AHN?

Asante Health Network’s participation agreement is non-exclusive. AHN providers and provider groups are free to contract and participate with and in payer contracts, provider organizations and networks outside of AHN, provided their AHN provider group continues to fulfill the terms and obligations under the AHN PPA. (See Section 2.9 of the PPA.)

What options do AHN provider groups have for terminating their participation in AHN?

Providers may terminate their PPA without cause at the end of the calendar year without cost or penalty by providing 120-days prior written notice.

“Asante Health Network exists to bring together doctors and health care professionals in the Rogue Valley for the purpose of making health care more affordable and improving health outcomes. I’m excited about the work we’re doing to benefit our community.”

– Steven Hersch, MD, Medical Director Asante Quality and Patient Safety
Dr. Steven Hersch

Learn more about Asante Health Network

Our staff is happy to answer questions and provide additional information. Please contact us about any aspect of Asante Health Network.

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