Health Care Cost

This week, the top managed care articles included a report from the Congressional Budget Office on the impact of eliminating the cost-sharing reduction payments; a decision from CMS to eliminate 2 mandatory bundled payment programs; and a new value-based alliance that called for ending use of a test for diagnosing heart attacks.

There is a lot of evolution happening in healthcare in a number of areas, including policy, technology, and the market, explained Deanne Kasim, founding partner of Santesys Solutions.

This meeting presents unique perspectives on emerging topics in managed care from today’s leading experts

At the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, oncologists heard from fellow experts on the best way to navigate the daunting challenge of payment reform.

The survey found a jump in physician burnout since 2013 and a gap in the commitment to combat medical errors, a problem that persists despite the movement toward quality measures.

Public and private payment reforms such as accountable care organization contracts have shown some initial evidence of changes in physician behavior, but their full promise remains to be seen, according to Zirui Song, MD, PhD, resident at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Incentives must be aligned between payers and providers to transition to value-based care and physicians must have the best access to information to make the right decisions in these value-based arrangements, explains L. Patrick James, MD, chief clinical officer for health plans and policy, medical affairs, for Quest Diagnostics

Although the country is moving toward value-based payments, for providers it’s basically still a fee-for-service world, said Charles J. Fazio, MD, MS, of HealthPartners Health Plan, at America’s Health Insurance Plans’ Institute & Expo, held June 9-10 in Austin, Texas.

The collaboration between Innovative Oncology Business Solutions and the American Society of Clinical Oncology on the COME HOME Model should help give community oncology practices a path forward to be competitive, said Barbara McAneny, MD, chief medical officer of New Mexico Oncology Hematology Consultants.

Reactions to the $8 billion amendment introduced by Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) that helped seek Republican support for the American Health Care Act in the Senate.

This week in managed care, the top stories included a surprising shake-up in leadership at Molina Healthcare; feedback for the Oncology Care Model; and Healthy Vision Month is focusing on women.

By identifying ways to improve cancer care and then designing alternative payment models (APMs) to overcome current payment barriers, APMs can enable oncology practices to deliver better care to patients and save money for payers in a way that is financially sustainable for the practices.

While the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) has gone into effect for physicians that participate in Medicare Part B, many questions remain about the practicalities of the program. Physicians could also participate in advanced alternative payment models (APMs), but the vast majority of physicians and physician groups are expected to participate in MIPS.

Private sector accountable care organization development has been motivated by perceived opportunities to improve quality, efficiency, and population health, and the belief that payment reform is inevitable.

On May 4-5, 2017, The American Journal of Managed Care's ACO & Emerging Healthcare Delivery Coalition will head back to Scottsdale, Arizona, to bring together stakeholders from across the industry.

The roundtable provides a forum for academic researchers, health policy experts, patient advocates, health insurance plans, and the pharmaceutical industry to debate on the most sustainable strategies for patient cost sharing for medications.

At the 2nd cost-sharing roundtable hosted by the Patient Access Network Foundation and The American Journal of Managed Care®, Tricia Neuman of the Kaiser Family Foundation provided a perspective on what the future might hold for patients enrolled in Medicare.

This week, the top managed care stories included Republicans releasing an outline for replacing the Affordable Care Act, pharmacy benefit managers and pharmaceutical companies pointing fingers over drug costs, and findings on engagement for patients with chronic conditions.

Presenters and panelists at the 5th annual Patient-Centered Oncology Care meeting provide their key takeaways.

As CMS moves forward with the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, it is funding organizations to help solo and small practices succeed under the new payment system.

Payment reform in the United States has been going on for years, and a panel at the AcademyHealth National Health Policy Conference analyzed how much progress has been made to move away from fee-for-service, and what the evidence on alternative payment models has found.

Despite disagreement over the Affordable Care Act, Democrats and Republicans agree on broader issues like the need to move away from fee-for-service and the need to a better job for those with chronic conditions.

During an interview with Vox that was simulcast by the White House, President Barack Obama reviews where his signature law is working, where it isn't, and why Americans should demand to see what a replacement would look like.

As we approach the January 20 inauguration of Donald J. Trump as the 45th president of the United States, we come to the end of an all-too-brief era of unparalleled government transparency and leadership accessibility: Acting Administrator of CMS Andy Slavitt will be stepping down from his post.

In a podcast that goes live today, The American Journal of Managed Care® paired Mandi Bishop, MA, the CEO of Aloha Health, with Andy Slavitt, MBA, who is finishing his tenure as acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Bishop asked Slavitt about the lessons of payment reform, the impact of MACRA, and what the new administration should expect.

As Andy Slavitt, MBA, acting administrator of CMS, comes to the end of his tenure, he spoke with Mandi Bishop, MA, CEO of Aloha Health, about the task of making health policy translatable and the legacy of payment reform he leaves behind.

January 1, 2017, marks the beginning of a new way of being paid in Medicare. And while the final rule of MACRA was released in October, and many providers and practices are still trying to parse out what it will mean to them.

CMS is moving full-steam ahead with the transition to value-based care. On Tuesday, the agency announced 3 new bundled payment models in cardiac care, an expansion on the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Model, and the highly anticipated new track in the Medicare Shared Savings Program.

Bruce Gould, MD, president and medical director, Northwest Georgia Oncology Center, and president of the Community Oncology Alliance, presented an overview of how cancer care has improved over the years and what the current challenges are.