Welcome to this week's issue of VBC Newsstand brought to you by VBCExhibitHall.com
There’s a lot of buzz in healthcare about the promise of value-based care (VBC) and how it can reign in skyrocketing costs, while delivering improved patient outcomes. And indeed, the move to VBC has yielded positive results in primary care and there are emerging alternative payment models in specialty care for other chronic conditions. So it’s only natural that VBC has come to knock on the front door of behavioral health. The question is: Are behavioral health providers ready to open it? And what awaits them on the other side?
Existing diabetes quality metrics do not currently help patients improve their health and diabetes quality measurement must be improved through the adoption of new measures and modernization, according to a June report published in Health Affairs. Current quality measures do not safeguard against inappropriate treatment or overtreatment and in fact incentivize providers to focus on patients most likely to achieve the measures currently in place, rather than those who would benefit the most clinically, the report said. The researchers argue quality measures must connect directly to reimbursement, as in value-based payment models such as accountable care organizations with two-sided risk models, putting forward three propositions intended to guide care management changes.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its first ever home- and community-based services (HCBS) quality measures Thursday. The agency said the measures will promote “consistent quality measurement within and across state Medicaid HCBS programs” and are a “critical step to promoting health equity among the millions of older adults and people with disabilities who need LTSS.” The measures are built around three pillars: access, a rebalancing of HCBS spend versus institutional care spend and community integration. For now, the measures are voluntary – with one caveat.
There is substantial variation and low correlation in healthcare spending across Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance plans within different US regions, a study published in JAMA Network Open found. The US spends around $3.8 trillion per year on healthcare funded by Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers. However, spending and healthcare utilization are rarely the same for all three payers. Researchers used data from the Healthcare Cost Institute (HCCI), Medicare fee-for-service claims, and the Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System Analytic Files to determine the correlation in regional spending and utilization across the three payers.
Sponsored Webinars
UPCOMING WEBINARS:

Your Roadmap to Building a Robust Health Equity Plan to Succeed in ACO REACH
  • Topic: Preparing for ACO REACH requirements
Sponsored by: CareSignal
August 9, 2022 | 1 PM EST

RECORDED WEBINARS:

SDOH and the Risk of Poor Outcomes: To Adjust, or not To Adjust
  • Topic: Understanding SDOH, its impacts, and its role in healthcare
Sponsored by: PointRight


Check our our Webinar Archive to view past webinars on a variety of value-based care related topics!

Upcoming Conferences
RISE West 2022
Aug. 31 - Sep. 2, 2022 | Los Angeles, CA

Florida Association of ACOs (FLAACOs) Annual Conference
October 17 - 19, 2022 | Orlando, FL

HLTH 2022
November 13 - 16, 2022 | Las Vegas, NV
FLASH INTERVIEW
This week's focus: PHM software best in KLAS
Each week we showcase one of our solution providers in a 4-5 minute interview and ask them what they bring to the VBC Community and what sets them apart. 
Today's guest:

HealthEC offers a KLAS-recognized, end-to-end population health management platform designed to help ACOs succeed with value-based care. HealthEC CareConnect® generates personalized, clinically-proven plans that enable teams, including community-based resources, to deliver patient-centric care. Advisory services are also available to guide ACO partners in defining their strategic goals as they transition from volume to value.
Platinum Level Exhibitors
Thank you to our Platinum Level exhibitors. These organizations offer the absolute highest quality products & services to the ACO & IPA comty. To learn more & visit their interactive booths, click on the logos below:
Gold Level Exhibitors
Thank you to our Gold Level exhibitors. To learn more & visit their interactive booths, click on the logos below:
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