Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and Pequot Health Care Choose Eastern Connecticut Hematology Oncology (ECHO) as Preferred Partner
ECHO Recognized as a Center of Excellence for Providing High-Value Cancer Care in Connecticut
The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation (MPTN) and Pequot Health Care (PHC), a leader in managing self-fund health care plans for Native American tribes, announced on June 30th that it is recognizing Eastern Connecticut Hematology and Oncology (ECHO), a physician-owned oncology practice in Norwich, Connecticut as a Center of Excellence and preferred partner. Pequot Health Care will promote awareness of ECHO’s high-value cancer care to its members and commercial self-funded plans.
“At Pequot Health Care, we believe that both the patients and the employers that provide self-funded health benefits deserve better value health- where the quality, safety, and experience is higher, and the total cost of care is lower,” said Setu Vora, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.
ECHO, a member of the OneOncology partnership of independent oncology practices, provides comprehensive cancer care service and clinical trials to patients in Eastern Connecticut. A preferred partner, ECHO will continue to deliver outstanding hematology and oncology care to MPTN and PHC health plan members by providing priority access, quality, and results.
“Our goal is to provide patients and their families with access to the latest treatments and resources in a personalized and compassionate manner,” said Dinesh Kapur, MD, CEO of ECHO. “We’re proud to have cared for many Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation members over our thirty-year history. And we look forward to our continued relationship.”
While there have been great advances in cancer diagnosis and treatments, the average cost of cancer care and drugs per patient is now above $250,000- four times the median US household income. Moreover, there is large variation in the cost of care even with similar quality and outcomes for the same disease or same procedure.
To address financial toxicity and healthcare inequities, Pequot Health Care has accelerated its partnerships for better value health across Connecticut by forming the Independent Medical Practices Alliance of Connecticut-IMPACT. For providing high-value cancer care in the community setting, where care is less expensive, ECHO is one of the early adopters of this Pequot model to make health care better and sustainable for all. “ECHO is a Center of Excellence for us because it shares our mission of Better Value Health,” said Chris Manzi, President of Pequot Health Care.