HHS Says Expanding Value Based Care a Top Priority
The federal government says it will double down on value based care models in its effort to transform payment models, especially new innovative forms of coordinated care led by the.
In three separatesince March, newly appointed Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar placed value based care innovation on the top of his list of priorities. Value based care models seek to reward providers for improved outcomes through better coordination of care and quality instead of reimbursing only for the quantity of services provided.
ĢýThere is no turning backto an unsustainable system that pays forprocedures rather than value,Ģý said Secretary Azar before the. ĢýIn fact, the only option is to charge forward,for HHS to take bolder action, and for providersand payersto join with us.Ģý
The announcement is welcome news to Ģý North America, which is leading the shift to value based care for chronically ill patients. The company currently coordinates care for almost 50,000 patients with end stage renal disease through its value based care programs. The results have shown improved outcomes for patients, including a 30 percent drop in hospitalizations in some of those programs, and millions of dollars in savings for the government.
ĢýWe know firsthand that value based care can deliver enormous savings while at the same time improving the lives of our patients,Ģý said, which currently operates value based care programs for dialysis patients. ĢýWith this commitment from HHS and Secretary Azar we hope to accelerate the growth of these innovative programs, allowing us to ensure access to quality care for patients beyond the walls of the dialysis unit.Ģý
At the same time, Congress is also considering a bill that would create a much larger value based network for dialysis patients.The Dialysis PATIENTS Demonstration Act would establish an integrated care program in which interdisciplinary teams, led by a nephrologist, provide holistic healthcare management for this vulnerable patient population. It combines the best of the current value based models under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
ĢýWe have been very encouraged to see growing bi-partisan support for this effort among members of the House and Senate,Ģý saidat Ģý North America. ĢýThe PATIENTS Act will help modernize and improve the way we care for patients with kidney failure.Ģý
Even without passage of the PATIENTS Act, itĢýs clear that HHS has big goals for the growth and impact of value based care. Secretary Azar has repeatedly pointed out that escalating healthcare costs are not sustainable and new disruptive models must be encouraged.
Secretary Azar outlined four areas of emphasis to achieve his goals: giving consumers more control over their health information; improving transparency from providers and payers; expanding alternative payment models focused on value and quality; and eliminating government burdens that impede this value based transformation.
ĢýI donĢýt intend to spend the next several years tinkering,Ģý said Secretary Azar. ĢýWe want to look at bold measures that will fundamentally reorient how Medicare and Medicaid pay for care and create a true competitive playing field where value is rewarded handsomely.Ģý
Learn more about value based care and itsimpact on patients in a Q&Awith Dr. Frank Maddux, chief medical officer for FMCNA, and Dr. Andy Howard, a nephrologist with.
