New study finds over 40 states pursuing value-based payment programs, with 15 multi-payer initiatives across those states. The study reveals a range of approaches and significant variation in the scope, leadership commitment, and resources devoted to the transition from fee-for-service to value-based reimbursement.
Accountable care organizations (ACOs) have been the most popular vehicle for value-based payment model adoption to date, with over 923 ACOs covering approximately 32.4 million lives across the country. Recognizing the importance of successful ACO implementation, the Health Care Transformation Task Force (HCTTF) released a comprehensive analysis of high-performing ACOs and ACO success factors.
An updated version of the fifth edition of the Center for Connected Health Policy’s (CCHP) State Telehealth Laws and Reimbursement Policies Report was released. CCHP’s report is the most comprehensive report on state telehealth laws, regulations and Medicaid policies available and contains the most current and up to date information for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The full report will be available on CCHP’s website, which also includes a state interactive map to more easily access this information. CCHP also created easy to read two-page fact sheet and infographic summarizing the report’s key findings.
America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) released a report which details health plan effects by state, including the District of Columbia. “More people than ever have health care coverage today. But, for plans, their commitments are about so much more.” says Dr. Richard Bankowitz, Chief Medical Officer for AHIP.
Change Healthcare (CH) announced payer insights revealed in The Engagement Gap: Healthcare Consumer Engagement in 2017, a new national study of 89 payers, 251 providers, and 771 consumers. CH asked payers about the factors influencing their consumer-centric initiatives, and how these strategies are altering their organizations. Health plans surveyed were generally aligned in pointing to value-based care as the primary factor driving their focus on consumer-centricity, with 74% reporting it as the leading factor.
Health plans of all sizes are interested to learn where they stand in the movement toward alternative payment models (APMs) – that is, shared savings, shared risk, bundled payments, or population-based payments and how they compare to the market. Some health plans adopt APMs because of market conditions, others by factors such as data system limitations or provider readiness.
“To geek or not to geek?” that is not the only question. The real c-suite cyber-security question for executives might be, “Trust or not to trust?” All things IT still intimidates most people, no matter the generation. Being informed about security, network structures, and intrusive software challenges many experts in the field. Handing the responsibilities over to internal or contracted specialists without understanding the general concepts of cyber-security creates a blind spot. Not unlike, not grasping financial concepts because the accounting department handles that stuff.
U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in healthcare rankings, released the 2018 Best Medicare Plans. The new ratings are a resource for Medicare beneficiaries and their families searching for the best coverage options during the annual open-enrollment period, which began October 15 and runs through December 7, 2017.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Star Ratings for the 2018 Medicare health and drug plans. With the release of the Star Ratings, people with Medicare will have improved access to high-quality health choices for their Medicare coverage in 2018. This news comes on the heels of the recent release of the benefit and premium information for Medicare health and drug plans which shows that there will be more health coverage choices and decreased premiums in 2018.
While health plans encourage wearables, the assessment of the benefits of wearables has been the target of several recent studies. Researches are interested in discovering the “stickiness” of the devices and their effect on wellness program success. The studies note that the Inside employer and payer wellness programs as well as the independent user reflect positively.