Excellus BCBS Awards Hospitals $28 Million for Quality Improvements

Posted on November 22, 2023

Excellus BCBS logo

SYRACUSE, NY – Thirty-one upstate New York hospitals and health centers earned a combined $28 million in quality improvement payments from Excellus BlueCross BlueShield last year as part of the nonprofit health insurer’s Hospital Performance Incentive Program. Since 2005, Excellus BCBS has paid out more than $400 million in quality improvement incentives.

“It’s part of our mission to ensure that all in our communities have equitable access to high quality health care,” says Mark Muthumbi, Central New York regional president at Excellus BCBS. “The foundation for achieving that is a collaborative relationship with our local hospital and physician partners.”

Six hospitals in Central New York participated in this program in 2022, sharing $6.4 million in quality improvement incentive payments. Participating hospitals included Auburn Community Hospital, Crouse Hospital, Guthrie Cortland Medical Center, Oswego Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center and Upstate University Health System. 

“In 2022, Excellus BCBS’s Hospital Performance Incentive Program evaluated participating hospitals on projects that are in alignment with and responsive to the ever-changing health care environment,” says Lisa Y. Harris, MD, senior vice president and chief medical officer at Excellus BCBS. Participating hospitals and health centers met goals in the following areas:

In addition to meeting required clinical and patient safety measures in 2022, other nationally endorsed measures and target outcomes were jointly agreed upon by each hospital and the health insurer using benchmarks established by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services,  the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, and others.                     

# # #

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, is a nonprofit health plan with 1.5 million upstate New York members. The company's mission is to help people live healthier and more secure lives through access to high-quality, affordable health care. Its products and services include cost-saving prescription drug discounts, wellness tracking tools and access to telemedicine. With more than 4,200 employees, the company is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce to foster innovation and better serve its members. It also encourages employees to engage in their communities by providing paid volunteer time off as one of many benefits. To learn more, visit ExcellusBCBS.com.

CenterState CEO

Other Member News

2025 Central New York Real Estate Conference
October 21, 2025

2025 Central New York Real Estate Conference

This one-day event offers unparalleled opportunities for networking, lead generation, and brand visibility—whether through attending, tabling, or sponsoring.

October 20, 2025

Springbrook Expands in Central New York with New Syracuse Office

The expansion marks an exciting milestone in Springbrook’s ongoing mission to provide exceptional, person-centered support across the state.

Warm, hearty meals for casual friendly get-togethers
October 17, 2025

Fulton Dining and Activity Center Menu

Reservations are encouraged and bussing is available from participants homes to the center.

Oswego Jiu Jitsu & The Mix Women's Self-Defense Seminar
October 15, 2025

Oswego Jiu Jitsu & The Mix Women's Self-Defense Seminar

Find out more information and register here.

October 15, 2025

Join SUNY Oswego for A Showcase of Innovation, Collaboration and Impact!

RSVP to join us on October 23-24, 2025 at SUNY Oswego for any or all of the following four free events.

BCBS
October 14, 2025

Excellus BCBS 2026 Enrollment

Three simple steps to finding your new plan for 2026.

Shoulder Pain? Join SOS for a Virtual Community Talk on November 12 2025
October 14, 2025

SOS to Host Virtual Community Talk: “Your Shoulder Health: Exploring Arthritis Care and Surgical Advances”

The goal of the webinar is to empower patients and caregivers with evidence-based information, demystify the treatment process, and provide a forum for questions.

John Huhtala
October 7, 2025

Tompkins Community Bank Welcomes Commercial Banking Regional Manager

Huhtala, a 28-year industry veteran known for his leadership, mentorship and community engagement, will lead operations with the goal of driving growth and value for the bank’s clients.

shake shack pic
October 7, 2025

Shake Shack Grand Opening in DeWitt

We will be donating $1 from every burger and chicken sandwich purchased to the Food Bank of Central New York.