On March 23, the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Health held a legislative hearing entitled “Building on the ACA: Legislation to Expand Health Coverage and Lower Costs.” The hearing was held to discuss 18 legislative proposals being considered to build on the progress of the Affordable Care Act by expanding access to quality, affordable health care.
PEPC submitted testimony for the record for the hearing, highlighting how a key way to build on the ACA over the coming months and years is by affirming the ACA’s commitment to value-based payment and delivery system models.
General comments included:
- Bipartisan leaders across Congress and HHS have re-affirmed their continued commitment to value-based care models since the passage of the ACA. Examples include the overhaul of the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) in 2018 (“Pathways to Success”) and the passage of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015.
- Physician-led groups have repeatedly demonstrated their superior ability to generate positive results in value-based care arrangements, both in improved health outcomes and reduced costs, as evidenced by the results of MSSP and the Comprehensive Primary Care Plus model.
- Principles that serve as a guide for shaping future value-based care priorities for HHS and CMS that Congress should consider when supporting HHS as it continues to advance the value-based care movement pursuant to the ACA.
Read the full written testimony here.