IBX names Jefferson Health, Penn Medicine and Temple Health as 2026 Clinical Care Innovation Grant recipients

It was announced today that Jefferson Health, Penn Medicine and Temple Health have been selected as the 2026 Clinical Care Innovation Grant recipients by Independence Blue Cross (IBX) to assist providers and physicians with creating new approaches that improve health outcomes and make healthcare more affordable and accessible.

The Philadelphia-based health plan that serves nearly 3 million people will award up to five grants total in 2026 to health systems and large specialty groups that have value-based care contracts with IBX.

The organization has yet to announce who the other remaining grants will be awarded to.

“Our 2026 Clinical Care Innovation Grants keep innovation close to the point of care, where it matters most,” Rodrigo Cerdá, M.D., M.P.H., senior vice president of health services and CMO at Independence Blue Cross, and editorial advisory board member of Managed Healthcare Executive, said in a news release. “We’re proud to partner with leading health systems to advance programs that improve care for serious conditions.

This year, the programs focus on earlier detection and management of dementia, better support after a breast cancer diagnosis, and helping people with Type 2 diabetes manage their health better. Together, our goal is simple: to get patients to the right care faster, improve their experience and outcomes, and make care more affordable.”

The three projects selected for grants include:

• “Improving Dementia Care in Primary Practice,” led by Barry Rovner, M.D., professor of the department of psychiatry, neurology and ophthalmology at Jefferson Health. This project focuses on a program that helps doctors in primary care settings more easily find and manage Alzheimer’s disease in older adults while enhancing the experience patients have.
  
  This project gives patients education and personal support from a community health worker who helps them make decisions about their care. It also helps physicians by providing test results and smart tools for ordering the right tests.
• “CURE-BC: Coordinating Upstream Rapid Entry for Breast Cancer,” led by Oluwadamilola “Lola” Fayanju, M.D., the chief of the division of breast surgery at Penn Medicine. This project focuses on restructuring the critical period immediately following a breast cancer diagnosis so that within 48 hours, patients will have a virtual visit with a nurse, their information will be organized and appointments with specialists will be set up.
• “Temple Aide—Leveraging a Novel, Conversational AI Tool to Support Type 2 Diabetes Management in the Primary Care Setting,” led by Janet Lee, M.D., assistant dean for clinical research; Laura Igarabuza, M.D., assistant professor of clinical family and community medicine and center for urban bioethics and Jillian Jatres, research director at Temple Health. This project aims to help those with Type 2 diabetes manage their condition better by using a new AI chatbot tool that supports patients in following their medication plans and keeping their blood sugar under control.

To date, Independence has awarded 24 Clinical Care Innovation Grants valued at more than $4.8 million to health systems and large specialty groups.

Also announced January 6, IBX is teaming up with healthcare tech company, tango, which assists with plans and providers to coordinate post-acute care when patients leave hospitals. This new partnership is aimed at strengthening its network of skilled home health providers for Medicare Advantage members.

The collaboration is designed to support smoother transitions from hospital to home by enabling faster referrals to home health services, with early results showing quicker placement and high member satisfaction.

Further growth for IBX was announced in early December 2025 with the launch of the organization’s new health plan, Coupe Health. The health plan is designed to offer cost certainty, affordability and clearer information on provider quality.

Available as of January 1, 2026, for self-funded large employers, the plan removes deductibles and coinsurance and allows members to see their costs upfront before receiving care. IBX said in a news release that employers and members using Coupe have seen average health plan cost reductions of 9% to 10%, while most surveyed members reported they would keep the plan over their previous coverage.

MHE reached out to IBX about the amount in grants awarded to the three 2026 winners but has yet to hear back.