Montefiore Medical Center, New York, has entered into an accountable care agreement with Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield, New York, the organizations announced.

The accountable care agreement will cover fully insured Empire enrollees in New York's Bronx and Westchester counties and Montefiore's employees, according to a news release.

Montefiore will be eligible to receive shared-savings payments tied to quality and efficiency targets and a capitated care management fee, said John Caby, vice president of provider engagement and contracting for Empire. The contract will begin Jan. 1, 2013. It is Empire's first New York ACO.

A key element of the ACO will be a patient-centered primary-care strategy that involves developing personalized care plans for patients who have chronic or complex conditions. Empire members who already are patients of Montefiore-affiliated physicians will be eligible for care coordination services, and all members will have access to wellness and preventive care, according to the release. Montefiore, a 1,491-bed hospital, employs more than 200 care managers, the release notes.

Montefiore last year was named a Medicare Pioneer accountable care organization. The hospital's Medicare ACO includes 23,000 enrollees.

Montefiore is the subject of an exclusive white paper on ACOs published by Modern Healthcare. For more information on the white paper, click here.