Employers have been talking about low-value care for years, but they’re trying to identify to remove the use of those services, said Michael Thompson, president and chief executive officer of the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions.
Employers have been talking about low-value care for years, but they’re trying to identify to remove the use of those services, said Michael Thompson, president and chief executive officer of the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions.
Transcript
How are employers trying to identify and remove low-value care services?
We talk about low-value care, we’ve been talking about low-value care for a lot of years, what we’re finding is that there continues to be a lot of inappropriate use or low-value care reimbursed under the plans. Sometimes I think we’re trying to attack it through a plan design standpoint. Recently, for example, we’ve identified that low-value medications are often being covered on a formulary. I think what we’re envisioning, and we are advocating for, is that’s often being done for other reasons than to provide the best care to employees, and so we’re attacking it from that standpoint.
Also, educational. There’s a lot of efforts through education through things like Choosing Wisely, to help people understand what their choices are and when is care appropriate. In addition, I think there is a general move to higher quality providers who do a better job of screening for appropriateness. And some of the centers of excellence programs that have been put in place have demonstrated some of their best value, in part, by providing the best care when it’s needed and not providing the care when it’s not.
Empowering Community Health Through Wellness and Faith
April 23rd 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. In the third episode, Camille Clarke-Smith, EdD, MS, CHES, CPT, discusses approaching community health holistically through spiritual and community engagement.
Listen
Overcoming Employment Barriers for Lasting Social Impact: Freedom House 2.0 and Pathways to Work
April 16th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our second episode, in which we learn all about Freedom House 2.0 and the Pathways to Work program.
Listen
Dr Michael Farwell on FDG PET/CT Imaging to Predict Immunotherapy Response in Advanced Melanoma
April 15th 2024Michael Farwell, MD, associate professor of radiology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, provides insights into a study on the benefits of using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT imaging to detect metabolic tumor changes in skin cancer.
Read More