CIVHC Newsletter
March 2020
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Doing Our Part to Support Colorado and the Nation
As Colorado and the nation grapple with the unknowns of the COVID-19 outbreak, it is clear that data is more essential than ever as providers on the ground and those in positions of authority are working tirelessly to address imminent needs. We're working to assess how CIVHC and the CO APCD can inform the frontlines of this rapidly evolving crisis and looking ahead to see what will be needed in the weeks, months, and years to continue building a more efficient, effective and affordable health care system for all.
At the same time, we are mindful that every data point is a person and we are doing everything we can to help slow the spread of the virus, including working from home and following
CDC and
WHO guidelines. Here are some resources and ways we can stay informed or help:
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Now more than ever it’s important that Colorado provides the right care, at the right time, and in the right setting to support a strong, effective health care system that is affordable and accessible to everyone in need. That's why in this newsletter CIVHC is proud to be releasing the first ever
Colorado Low Value Care report using CO APCD data. Low value care refers to services, treatments and medications that don't always provide benefit to patients and can cause actual harm (physical, emotional, or financial). Given the current strains across many sectors in the state, understanding where we have opportunities to free up resources to devote to patients most in need is paramount. This information is crucial now and will continue to be meaningful data to pay attention to in the future.
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Low Value Care in Colorado
New Report and Infographic Summary Now Available!
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This analysis of claims in the CO APCD from 2015-2017 identifies the top 13 low value care services according to national guidelines, and identifies associated spending and volume across Medicare, Medicaid and Commercial health insurance claims for different regions across the state.
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Data Byte: Advance Care Planning Code Utilization
In 2016,
two CPT codes (99497 and 99498) were included in the physician fee schedule to reimburse providers for having advance care planning (ACP) discussions with patients.This analysis evaluates the use of the initial visit code (99497) by providers to identify trends in use by year and by geography (county and Division of Insurance region). Prior to this creation of a payment mechanism for providers, lack of reimbursement created a financial barrier to having these important conversations. Through a generous grant from COPIC, CIVHC hosted a training event in 2019 to bring awareness and understanding of ACP, and also partnered with Pinnacle Insurance to provide an
online provider billing training
. The results of this analysis indicates that more providers are using these codes and having important ACP conversations with their patients. If you are interested in learning more about ACP, available trainings or to get involved, please reach out to Kari Degerness, at
kdegerness@civhc.org.
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Subset of Condition Prevalence Data Available in Excel
Since switching to Tableau to present interactive population health reports based on CO APCD data, we have not always been able to easily provide datasets to those who would like access to the underlying data. In our upcoming population health report updates later this year, we plan to provide Excel files of the data with updated years of information.
In the interim, to support the work of a research partner, a subset of condition prevalence data was made available for Diabetes Type I and II in Colorado. If you are interested in accessing this file for a project you are involved in, contact
ColoradoAPCD@civhc.org for more information.
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Data Byte: Legislative District Total Spend Data
Update
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Last year, Colorado Health Institute (CHI) partnered with CIVHC to create this Data Byte identifying health care costs by Colorado legislative district. Results for 2017 indicated that Colorado spent over $16 billion dollars on health care across all payers. Three House Districts and 10 Senate Districts spent $1 million or more.
This year, CHI requested an update to this data for 2018. Click below to access the data and learn how the results changed year over year.
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Employers in Colorado Band Together to Directly Negotiate Rates and Lower Costs for Health Care Consumers
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When a free market economy works well, consumers understand how much things will cost, and have information to weigh the pros and cons of spending more or less for goods and services. Ideally, the market would respond appropriately according to their purchasing decisions. Unfortunately, when it comes to the health care system in the U.S., the people actually paying for the goods and services (employers and individuals) are not directly involved in the purchasing decisions. Health insurance companies and providers typically negotiate between themselves, leaving consumers and employers out in the cold- ill equipped to understand why their premiums continue to rise and unable to do anything about it.
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National Health Care Decisions Day is April 16th
Join Us Remotely For This Year's Event!
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National Health Care Decisions Day (NHDD) is April 16th. This is a national ‘holiday’ where organizations across the country work to get the word out about advance care planning. This is the second year in a row we’re helping collectively promote the great work that is happening that day and week. We’ll have information on where you can learn more, ask questions and complete advance care plans with experienced professionals.
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Seeking Input - Health Data Academy Educational Resource
In last month's newsletter, CIVHC announced the soft launch of our first Health Data Academy module. The Health Data Academy is a new educational resource designed to help individuals, communities and organizations better understand how to use health care data and claims information in the CO APCD. The first module outlines the different types of health data available as well as provides a basic level of understanding of claims data and APCDs. We encourage you to go through this module and share your thoughts on the content, format and overall value of this module intended for use by individuals unfamiliar with claims and health data. If you have any questions or comments after completing the module, please contact us at
info@civhc.org, and thank you in advance for your input.
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Center for Improving Value in Health Care | Copyright 2020 CIVHC
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