HPIO to host forum on accountable care

“Paying for value, not volume” and “accountable care organizations” are common phrases among today’s thought leaders on healthcare payment and delivery reform. Both are recognized as potential vehicles for improving quality of care, controlling costs, and improving population health.

On July 21, HPIO will be hosting an educational forum titled “Paying for Health Care Value in Ohio: Implementing accountable care (ACO) in the public and private sectors,” featuring Harold D. Miller, founding Executive Director of the national Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform and President and CEO of the Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement (NRHI). The event will also include a panel of Ohio providers who will share their experiences in implementing accountable care practices.

The Affordable Care Act’s Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) supports the formation of ACOs to manage Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries by providing financial incentives to providers who meet certain clinical and operational requirements. Given Medicare’s history as a forerunner for new health care reimbursement strategies, other insurers, including Medicaid, may very well adopt similar outcomes-based pay and shared savings mechanisms.

Last month HPIO released a policy brief  titled “Understanding the Medicare ACO and Its Potential Impact on Ohio and the Nation: Considerations of CMS Draft Rules” (pdf, 24 pages).