HCPLAN’s Annual Convening on Accountable Care: Looking to the Future of Value
Post Written by Sarah Dunbar, Business Solutions Associate
The recent Learning & Action Network summit brought together key stakeholders focused on advanced payment models. The two-day event gives us clues into the future of accountable care and outlines the multi-stakeholder focus for the coming years.
The Health Care Payment Learning & Action Network (HCPLAN) held its 7th Summit this fall, bringing together the largest convening to date in support of collaboration to advance the adoption of advanced risk models. Through key stakeholders, HCPLAN seeks to grow meaningful and accountable care by holistically assessing the needs of individuals and promoting increased alignment between accountable care and whole person care.
Highlights of the Convening
The summit highlighted the synergy between CMS’ goals and LAN’s strategic commitment to advancing accountable care at the national and state levels. CMS has been clear on its short- and long-term goals on advancing new models and alternative payment models. This is clear in the new models announced in 2022 like the Kidney Care Choices Model, ACO Realizing Equity, Access and Community Health (REACH) Model, Enhancing Oncology Model and the two-year extension of the Bundled Payment for Care improvement (BPCI) advanced model. The focus on advancing new models is also present in CMS’ mid-term strategy that includes more advanced primary care model tests, state total care model tests, population and condition-specific accountable care models and prescription drug models.
LAN is supporting the related steps that go along with payment reform to ensure they are effectively supporting the intended goals of accountable care. This has included creating an updated definition of “accountable care.” Through public working groups and stakeholder feedback, LAN now defines accountable care as “care that centers on the patient and aligns their care team to support shared decision-making and help realize the best achievable health outcomes for all through equitable, comprehensive, high quality, affordable, longitudinal care.” LAN has also (through the same collaborative process) revised the accountable care curve and accountable care goals to better reflect the growing experience of the nation’s diverse healthcare organizations and the populations served to make progress on achieving effective accountable care. This has included (much like CMS’ goals), a need to include a growing range of social services organizations and those that coordinate care for special services.
On the Horizon Line
CMS has been clear about the path they are forging towards advanced care models and LAN is supporting those efforts in various ways. The next steps are quite clear; providers need to identify ways to bridge the gap between Fee-For-Service and advanced payment models, today if not sooner. Providers had the opportunity to enhance accountable care and embrace alternative payment methods in some care delivery aspects during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the future holds opportunity for impactful innovation. CMS’ commitment to reduced barriers in Alternative Payment Model participation is clear and providers should follow these developments and continue to evaluate ways to embrace and implement value-based care and APMs in their current care delivery pathways.
If you are interested in exploring your options in participating in advanced payment models and value-based payment innovation, reach out to us to discuss your path to innovation and value.
About the Author: Sarah Dunbar is a Business Solutions Associate at Helgerson Solutions Group. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
