Elevance Health's Value-Based Care Models Deliver Measurable Quality Gains: Kristie Spencer

Kristie Spencer, vice president of provider partnerships at Elevance Health, shared highlights from the company's 2024 Advancing Health Together report, underscoring the measurable impact of value-based care on health outcomes and provider performance.

“It's really through our value-based care models that we have and are continuing to drive strong improvements in quality,” Spencer said.

She noted that 60.5% of Elevance Health's total medical expenditures are now allocated to value-based care arrangements, with 37% falling within shared-risk models—a 4% increase over the prior year. These investments are yielding tangible results. Among Medicare Advantage populations, 76% of value-based providers improved their overall Star Ratings in performance year 2024, with year-over-year improvements seen across 73.7% of all Medicare Star Ratings measures. Specific gains included a 3.1–percentage point improvement in blood sugar control and blood pressure control for members with diabetes and a 9.8–percentage point improvement in kidney health evaluations for members with diabetes.

Spencer attributed this success to 3 core elements: well-designed financial incentives for providers, access to actionable data insights, and on-the-ground expert consultation. Elevance Health deploys staff directly in markets to help providers understand performance opportunities and act on available incentives, she explained.

On social determinants of health, Spencer emphasized that roughly 80% of health outcomes are shaped by factors outside the clinical setting. Elevance Health addresses this by equipping providers to screen for and refer members to social needs resources while also unifying reporting platforms and strengthening electronic health record connectivity.

“We're able to help them integrate social needs into care decisions, and when providers have a clear view of the whole person, they're able to deliver better care for our members and improve outcomes in a way that traditional models just simply couldn't,” Spencer said. “As a result, Elevance Health is directly addressing what matters most to our members. We're making health care more accessible, affordable, and effective through our provider collaborations.”