{"id":149766,"date":"2026-06-03T22:15:25","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T02:15:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/?p=149766"},"modified":"2026-06-03T22:15:25","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T02:15:25","slug":"capital-blue-cross-st-lukes-university-health-network-tout-affordable-high-quality-care-with-renewed-collaboration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/?p=149766","title":{"rendered":"Capital Blue Cross, St. Luke\u2019s University Health Network Tout Affordable, High-Quality Care with Renewed Collaboration"},"content":{"rendered":"

ALLENTOWN, Pa.<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Capital Blue Cross is launching a new health plan option in collaboration with St. Luke\u2019s University Health Network that will help Lehigh Valley employers better manage health care costs while ensuring their employees receive high\u2011quality care from one of the nation\u2019s top-performing health systems.<\/p>\n

Valley Advantage EPO will help employers control rising health care expenses. It aligns the strength of Capital Blue Cross\u2019 benefits and care management programs with St. Luke\u2019s network of outstanding providers, which ranks No. 1 in the United States for quality, safety and patient experience, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.<\/p>\n

\u201cCapital Blue Cross and St. Luke\u2019s share a mission to put people first \u2013 delivering exceptional service, expanding access to high-quality care, and strengthening the health of the communities we serve,\u201d said Todd Shamash, president and CEO of Capital Blue Cross. \u201cWith St. Luke\u2019s nationally recognized as No. 1 in quality, safety and patient experience, this collaboration gives Lehigh Valley employers and their employees confidence they\u2019re getting outstanding care, close to home, at an affordable cost.\u201d<\/p>\n

The plan is now available to employers in Lehigh and Northampton counties with more than 100 employees and will be available to companies with fewer than 100 employees in 2027.<\/p>\n

\u201cSt. Luke\u2019s has long been recognized for delivering exceptional care at a lower cost than competitors,\u201d said Rick Anderson, president and CEO of St. Luke\u2019s University Health Network. \u201cThe collaboration between Capital Blue Cross and St. Luke\u2019s allows us to offer employers in the Lehigh Valley a plan that enables access to high\u2011quality care that is more affordable.\u201d<\/p>\n

With employer\u2011sponsored medical and Rx coverage projected to\u00a0increase by 8.4% in 2026<\/a>, Valley Advantage EPO gives employers a clearer path to managing those costs with rates that are lower than Capital\u2019s standard PPO plan.<\/p>\n

Other key features of the EPO plan include:<\/strong><\/p>\n