The Purchaser Value Network (PVN) www.pvnetwork.org, an initiative of the Pacific Business Group on Health www.pbgh.org has awarded initial matching grants to non-profit regional business coalitions that are implementing innovative practices in value-based purchasing and healthcare payment reform.
For example, The Florida Health Care Coalition (FLHCC) www.flhcc.com received $50,000 and was matched dollar for dollar from PVN to develop and promote a bundled payment for cardiac care, a project started under a CMS Innovation grant https://innovation.cms.gov.
The intent is to reduce variation and cost for cardiac care while improving the quality of care for patients with established or potential coronary artery disease. The goal is to establish a bundled payment for cardiac care with Orlando-based FLHCC employer members by the end or 2017 for use during the 2018 plan year.
The FLHCC initiative “Smarter Management and Resource Use for Today’s Complex Care”, www.flhcc.org/projects/smartcare.html has been implemented and evaluated in five cardiology practices in Florida including affiliate partner Orlando Heart Specialists through the Medicare and Medicaid Innovation grant program.
FLHCC will oversee data collection and analysis requested from employers, health plans, and providers to be used to determine the services provided in the bundle and the appropriate payment for these services.
Another example is the Colorado Business Group on Health www.cbghealth.org receiving $50,000 to promote advance primary care by integrating the “Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+) incentives, to strengthen primary care through regionally-based multi-payer payment reform and care delivery transformation.
Another non-profit the Health Care 21 Business Coalition www.hc21.org covering members in East and Middle Tennessee was awarded $37,500. They will partner with the Memphis Business Group on Health www.memphisbusinessgroup.org to explore models of payment reform with two employers to align with current state and national efforts in 2018.
The Northeast Business Group on Health http://nebsh.org working with employers in N.Y, N.J, CT, and MA received $50,000 to work with employers, health plans, and a hospital system to develop a multi-stakeholder pilot intervention to reduce C-sections in the state. Intervention methodologies will include a bundled payment for hospital-based maternity care or a blended case rate for vaginal and C-section deliveries.
Additional grants will be awarded to other regional business coalitions throughout the year to support initiatives in maternity care payment redesign, accountable care organizations, prescription drug value-based purchasing initiatives, and to redesign complex care management to reduce emergency department usage.