The Partnership to Empower Physician-Led Care (PEPC) today released a new analysis demonstrating the need for additional steps to facilitate competitive provider markets while realizing reduced costs and improved quality for patients.
In December 2018, the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Treasury, and Labor released a report outlining recommended steps that state and federal governments should take to develop a better functioning health care market. The analysis released today by PEPC evaluates progress taken across the country since December 2018 to eliminate barriers to health care competition across the system, including between health care providers.
“Competitive provider markets result in increased quality and reduced costs for patients. The COVID-19 pandemic has placed incredible financial pressure on independent practices and physicians, and it has never been more important to ensure that these practices and physicians have the option of transitioning to more stable payment models that move us closer to our goals of better outcomes and lower costs. Doubling down on value-based care in 2021 and beyond is the answer,” said Kristen McGovern, Executive Director of PEPC.
PEPC was pleased to partner with Families USA and the National Academy for State Health Policy to host a virtual briefing on opportunities to continue to increase health care competition. Proposals identified for further action and consideration by policymakers include the following:
- Continued opportunities for independent physicians and practices to participate in value-based care models designed to account for the unique clinical and financial circumstances of these providers;
- Implementation of the final Medicare and Medicaid Conditions of Participation to require hospitals to share event notifications with providers participating in value-based care models;
- Enforcement of information blocking provisions to encourage greater information sharing across health care providers; and
- Expansion of the Medicare site neutral payment policy to eliminate payment disparities for the same services across practice settings.
PEPC looks forward to working with policymakers on these important issues in 2021 to ensure independent practices and physicians have a level playing field, and continued opportunities to thrive in a post-COVID health care system.
About PEPC
The Partnership to Empower Physician-Led Care (PEPC) was founded to educate stakeholders on the role of independent physicians and practices in leading the transition to risk-based care models, and to advocate for policies that enable and empower them to flourish and succeed as a key part of the healthcare ecosystem. Our mission is to support value-based care to reduce costs, improve quality, empower patients and physicians, and increase access to care for millions of Americans through a competitive healthcare provider market. We believe that it is impossible to achieve truly value-based care without a robust independent practice community. Members include Aledade, American Academy of Family Physicians, Medical Group Management Association, California Medical Association, and Florida Medical Association.
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