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March 23, 2021/News Releases

Cleveland Clinic Collaborates with Lilly, Anthem to Add New Heart Surgery Option for Lilly Health Plan Members

Eligible plan members across the country have access to top-ranked heart surgery expertise

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Human Heart Anatomy

Cleveland Clinic cardiac surgery expertise is now accessible to eligible Eli Lilly and Company employees, retirees and their family members through the Cleveland Clinic Cardiac Concierge Program, in collaboration with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and its affiliated health plans. The program provides access to complex cardiac surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute.

Cleveland Clinic is a leader in cardiovascular care and provides a top-tier patient experience for those with common to complex heart conditions. For the 26th consecutive year, Cleveland Clinic’s heart program has ranked as the best in the nation, earning the No. 1 ranking in U.S. News & World Report’s “2020-21 Best Hospitals.”

“Access to high-quality healthcare has an enormous impact on one’s health and wellbeing,” said Lars Svensson, M.D., Ph.D., chairman of the Cleveland Clinic Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute. “We are proud to collaborate with Anthem and deliver our top-ranked heart surgery expertise to the employees, retirees and family members of Lilly, no matter where they live.”

The Cleveland Clinic Cardiac Concierge Program is part of Cleveland Clinic’s Center of Excellence (COE) for cardiac surgery, an innovative solution that provides high-quality healthcare while also managing costs. The program helps keep costs down through better outcomes and bundled pricing – a single payment that covers a patient’s specific treatment over a period of time – while giving plan members greater access to the best possible care.

“We care about the well-being of our employees, our retirees and their families, and the impact of increasing health care costs,” said Steve Fry, senior vice president of human resources at Lilly. “As an innovation-driven company, we are committed to seek solutions that offer high-quality health care at more affordable costs.”

Lilly employees and non-Medicare eligible retirees will pay nothing towards the cost of their surgery after meeting their deductible. In addition, Lilly will pay 100 percent of travel and accommodation expenses for eligible plan participants and a companion to visit Cleveland Clinic. Anthem will arrange travel from the employee’s home to Cleveland Clinic and back again.

Launched on Jan. 1, 2021, the cardiac concierge program enables participating members to have their care comprehensively managed by a care coordinator, allowing Lilly families to have one point of contact from pre-surgical appointments through recovery at home. The cardiac concierge program also includes a free second opinion for eligible surgeries from the number one heart center in the country.

“Our collaboration with Cleveland Clinic is aimed at simplifying and personalizing treatment for cardiac conditions. This approach provides Lilly employees and their families the support they need so they can focus on recovery and getting back to full health,” said Tricia Fringer, president of Anthem National Accounts.

About Cleveland Clinic

Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. Cleveland Clinic is consistently recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for its expertise and care. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 81,000 employees worldwide are more than 5,743 salaried physicians and researchers, and 20,160 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,690-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 23 hospitals, 276 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2023, there were 13.7 million outpatient encounters, 323,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 301,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 132 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at twitter.com/CleClinicNews. News and resources available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.

Editor’s Note: Cleveland Clinic News Service is available to provide broadcast-quality interviews and B-roll upon request.

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