The move to value-based care has been a long process in the United States, perhaps made even longer by policies that some view as discouraging providers and health systems from participating in alternative payment models and now a pandemic that may stall the transition. As a result of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), CMS announced it would stop accepting applications for new accountable care organizations in 2021.

 (NAACOS) is still pushing forward. The organization is supporting new legislation in the House of Representatives that would update Medicare’s ACO program and reward participating ACOs.

Allison Brennan, MPP, senior vice president of government affairs at NAACOS, discusses the new Value in Health Care Act, how other policy changes at CMS have impacted ACOs, and the effect COVID-19 has had on ACOs.

Listen above or through one of these podcast services:

Podcasts

Allison Brennan, MPP, discusses legislation that would affect accountable care organizations (ACOs), the impact coronavirus disease 2019 had on ACOs, and the fall National Association of ACOs meeting. 

NAACOS Continues Pushing Forward on the Transition to Value-Based Care

 recaps the top managed care news of the week.

This week, the top managed care news included the effects of wildfires and the pandemic on health; a conversation on Ochsner Health’s Connected Maternity Online Monitoring Program; a preview of discussions at Patient-Centered Oncology Care

Read more about the stories in this podcast:

Concurrent Wildfire, Pandemic Hazards Test US Mental, Physical Health

Dr Joseph Biggio Discusses Ochsner Health's Connected MOM Program, COVID-19 Pregnancy Challenges

Patient-Centered Oncology Care 2020 Pre-Conference Videos

Patient-Centered Oncology Care 2020 Registration

Pain 1 of 3 in a Cluster of Symptoms Affecting Men After Prostate Cancer

ECTRIMS: European Committee for Research and Treatment in Multiple Sclerosis Conference Coverage

Long-term Cost Effects of Collaborative Care for Late-life Depression

Every week, The American Journal of Managed Care® recaps the top managed care news of the week, and you can now listen to it on our podcast, Managed Care Cast.

Podcast: This Week in Managed Care—Impact of Wildfires and a Pandemic on Health and Other Health News

In this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Erin L. Duffy, PhD, MPH, and Loren Adler, MS, about the study they cowrote, “

Policies to Address Surprise Billing Can Affect Health Insurance Premiums

.” The research describes how the problem of surprise medical billing has a broad financial impact on all commercially insured individuals—not just the patients who receive these bills.

Duffy is a postdoctoral research fellow at the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics, and Adler is associate director of the USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy.

Listen above or through one of these podcast services:



In this episode of Managed Care Cast, Erin L. Duffy, PhD, MPH, and Loren Adler, MS, discuss the findings of their study, “Policies to Address Surprise Billing Can Affect Health Insurance Premiums.”

Surprise Medical Bills Drive Up Health Premiums for All

As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to spread throughout the country, practices and health systems are transforming care to limit exposure to those who may be at greater risk of severe complications. At 

, the largest nonprofit academic health care system in Louisiana, providers are leveraging the system’s Connected Maternity Online Monitoring (MOM) digital medicine program to minimize 

To learn more about this program, we spoke with Joseph Biggio Jr, MD, MS, the system co-chair of Women’s Services and system chair for Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Ochsner Health. Dr Biggio, an obstetrician gynecologist, specializes in provision of high-risk pregnancy care and has been involved with provision of care related to women with medical complications, obstetric complications, and fetal complications in pregnancy.

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, Dr Biggio explains how the Connected MOM program functions and lays out the challenges expectant 

At Ochsner Health, the largest nonprofit academic health care system in Louisiana, providers are leveraging the system’s Connected Maternity Online Monitoring (MOM) digital medicine program to minimize expectant mothers’ risks of contracting COVID-19.

 recaps the top managed care news of the week.



This week, the top managed care news included identification of insomnia as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes; a look at the growth of telehealth during coronavirus disease 2019; an overview of the speakers who will appear at Patient-Centered Oncology Care 2020.

Study Finds Insomnia as New Risk Factor for Type 2 Diabetes

The Growth of Telehealth During COVID-19 and Its Future After: Dr Patricia Salber Interviews Dr Joseph Kvedar

PCOC 2020: Cancer Care Transformation Continues During COVID-19

Equity in Care Delivery Still at Top of PCOC 2020 Agenda, Amid “Undue Burden”

FDA Clears Targeted Therapy, Diagnostic for Metastatic RET Fusion-Positive NSCLC

The Promise and Perils of Big Data in Healthcare

Podcast: This Week in Managed Care—Insomnia a Risk Factor in Type 2 Diabetes and Other Health News

Telehealth has been around for years in the United States, but it was not until the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that it became regularly used. The growth of telehealth was fueled by the inability to see patients in person at the beginning of the pandemic and a move by the government to temporarily relax regulations.

Joseph Kvedar, MD, president of the American Telemedicine Association, professor of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School, co-chair of the American Medical Association's Digital Medicine Payment Advisory Group, and editor-in-chief of 

, explained that some of those relaxations might continue on after the COVID-19 pandemic passes, but some may get rolled back.

In conversation with Patricia Salber, MD, 

MBA, of The Doctor Weighs In, Kvedar also discussed how breakthroughs in technology have helped make virtual visits possible, the future of telehealth, and more.

Contributor: Telehealth Claim Lines Increased 4132% Nationally From June 2019 to June 2020

Continuation of Routine Screenings, Care Is Crucial During COVID-19 Pandemic

ACR Position Statement Supports Use of Telemedicine After COVID-19 Crisis

Which Telehealth Changes Will Become Permanent? Hints May Come Next Month

In-person Visits Are Invaluable, but Telehealth Is Here to Stay

Telehealth has been around for years in the United States, but it was not until the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that it became so widely used.

What kind of progress is the United States making in embracing 

? In this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Michael N. A

brams, a cofounder and managing partner of Numerof & Associates, which has queried healthcare executives for the past 5 years about their experiences with population health. Its 

 movement toward alternative care payment models and other progress aimed at incentivizing improved health outcomes and lowering costs.

In this episode of Managed Care Cast, we talk with Michael N. Abrams, a cofounder and managing partner of Numerof & Associates, about the fifth annual report on the state of population health.

A Look at the State of Population Health 

 recaps the top managed care news of the week.

This week, the top managed care news included HHS defending a CDC change limiting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing for asymptomatic people; an inside look at the Facing Metastatic Breast Cancer Together campaign; a conversation with Kashyap Patel, MD, on his new book.



Amid Controversy, HHS Defends Change in COVID-19 Testing Guidance




When the Topic Is Dying: A Conversation With Kashyap Patel, MD


How Virtual Care, Back-to-School Support, Health Inequities Are Influencing Employer Action


After FDA Approval, EMA Accepts Marketing Authorization Application for First Oral SMA Therapy


Forgotten Patients: ACO Attribution Omits Those With Low Service Use and the Dying

Podcast: This Week in Managed Care—HHS Defends Change in COVID-19 Testing Guidance and Other Health News

If there is any issue that has encapsulated the gravity of social determinants of health (SDOH) better than the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, you'd probably be hard pressed to find a public health official able to name one. On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we share a little bit of our interview with the head of the American Public Health Association, which will appear in the 

As schoolchildren, teachers, essential workers and others try to adjust to the changes wrought by this novel infectious disease this year, Georges C. Benjamin, MD, speaks about the "

need to have a new societal compact for health."

What Accounts for the High Cost of Care? It’s the People: A Q&A With Eric Topol, MD

Do Americans Have the Political Will to Tackle Healthcare Costs? A Q&A With Gail Wilensky, PhD

Looking Back on the ACA, Looking Forward to Bipartisan Solutions: A Q&A With Rep Frank Pallone Jr

In Uncertain Times, Public Service Leadership More Important Than Ever: A Q&A With Sherry Glied, PhD

Pandemic to Bring Painful Choices for States, Policy Makers: A Q&A With Larry Levitt

Hopes, Worries for US Health Care in Wake of COVID-19: A Q&A With Donald M. Berwick, MD, MPP

Challenges and Similarities in HIV, COVID-19 Crises: A Q&A With Anthony Fauci, MD

Shifting to Whole-Person Care While Fighting a Pandemic: A Q&A With Mandy K. Cohen, MD, MPH

In this episode of Managed Care Cast, we share a little bit of our forthcoming interview with Georges C. Benjamin, MD, executive director of the American Public Health Association, which will appear in the September issue of The American Journal of Managed Care®. 

 Reimagining Public Health in the Wake of COVID-19

® recaps the top managed care news of the week.

This week in managed care, the top news includes survival improves among wait-listed heart transplant candidates, the Trump administration offers a progress report on its kidney care initiative, and panelists say choice is vital to the biosimilar savings picture.



Survival Improves Among Wait-listed Heart Transplant Candidates

Administration Offers Progress Report on Kidney Care Initiative

Choice Is Vital to Biosimilar Savings Picture, Panelists Say

Do ICD-10 Codes Accurately Reflect COVID-19 Symptoms?

For Short Bouts of Acute Pain, Avoid Opioids, Guidelines Caution

Population Targeting and Durability of Multimorbidity Collaborative Care Management