Hospital, Kroger partner on surgery price deal

A Cincinnati-area hospital network has a deal with Kroger to give the retailer’s employees surgery at a fixed price.

Employees with health plans through the Cincinnati-based retail giant can get total hip and total knee replacement and spine surgery benefits at a fixed price through the program with The Christ Hospital Health Network.

The Cincinnati Business Courier reported the chain has about 90,000 employees who are eligible for the company's health benefits.

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“Kroger is excited to partner with The Christ Hospital to provide the best care for our associates at affordable prices,” Theresa Monti, vice president of Total Rewards for Cincinnati-based Kroger, stated. “We know healthcare can be complicated and our goal is to make the process easy for our associates. By establishing this partnership, we can ensure the highest-quality providers are available when associates are making decisions about their health.”

The report said that deals like the one between Kroger and Christ Hospital usually involve an employer’s self-funded plan paying a single bill for all services provided, which is often called bundling. Without a fixed price deal, there are often separate charges for the surgeon, facility, anesthesiologist and therapists as well as pre- and post-surgery visits.

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“Bringing these unique bundled care programs to employers allows us to take the next step in the evolution of health care, providing exceptional value in addition to exceptional clinical care,” said Herb Caillouet, executive director of the Christ Hospital Joint & Spine Center.

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