The concept behind Accountable Care Organizations remains reasonable: Groups of health care providers take responsibility for total cost and quality of care for the patients and receive, in return, a portion of any savings they achieve. But as CMS Administrator Seema Verma made clear in announcing the Proposed ACO Final Rule last month, “Medicare cannot […]
Ready or Not, Providers Will Face Risk Under ACOs or Medicare Advantage
In any other industry, companies work hard to interpret purchasing and regulatory trends, and adapt quickly in times of change. Swift action is a hallmark of competitive business; those that linger risk failure. Examples of business adaptation are everywhere: a move to digital applications that help consumers and other purchasers connect and build loyalty; acquisition […]
Time Out
It’s the last week of August, the run-up to Labor Day, and time to re-energize as we head into a period that promises even more intense health care reform. We at Roji Health Intelligence wish you a relaxing end of summer and a chance to recharge before we’re all back in the fall fray. For […]
How ACOs Can Leverage Price Transparency To Create Value for Consumers
Health care consumers are being forced to assume a greater share of costs for treatment. But how can patients determine the value of health care services if they can’t compare costs? Lack of price transparency is a major obstacle to value-based medical decisions. In evaluating treatment options or services by different providers, consumers have no […]
Five Steps for Successful Initiation of Bundled Payments and Episodes of Care
Everything about health care is complicated—its rules, science, service delivery, organizational systems, financing, and the relationship between all participants. So too will be the solutions for measuring and managing its value as determined by quality, outcomes and cost. To imagine that we can simply change one part of health care and effect change throughout the […]
Create Value for Consumers by Leveraging ACO Provider Choice
Medicare and commercial insurers are adamant about moving providers from Fee-for-Service to financial risk for services, and CMS is losing patience over providers’ reluctance to embrace downside-risk ACOs. Why are providers so worried about accepting risk? Because, they say, provider choice will ruin their potential for savings. With an estimated 25 percent of patients seeking […]
Life, Liberty and Happiness Require Good Health: What Consumers Need to Get There
Independence Day reconnects us with our Founders’ values that “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” are our fundamental rights. There is a basic concept underlying this dream: While the country will provide the opportunity, its citizens will act to achieve it. But there’s a catch—citizens’ potential to realize the dream depends on good health. […]
Tech Tools Empower Consumers to Reform Health Care: Will Providers Cooperate?
Health care is ripe for change, but providers have yet to take the lead. Who will push for much needed reform? Investors and technology experts are betting on consumers. Money is chasing health care technology (IT) startups to create consumer tools for everything from evaluating and comparing treatments and related costs, to managing medical conditions. […]
Where’s the Value for Physicians in VBHC? Four Strategies for ACOs and Other APMs
When we talk about “value” in Value-Based Health Care (VBHC), we’re referring to the high-quality/lower-cost services that buyers want from health care providers. Who are the buyers? Health plans, Medicare and other governmental purchasers, plus employers (for the most part, the term is notably not interpreted to include patients). What do buyers want? “Truth in […]
Why Patients Should Ask Questions—and Physicians Should Listen
For health care providers and payers, Value-Based Health Care (VBHC) is a hot topic, with most all payers pressing a shift toward financial risk contracts and ACOs based on quality and cost performance. But if you ask consumers about the trend, chances are you’ll get a blank stare. Why? They’re not really part of the […]