AHA-supported bill to strengthen Medicare payment models reintroduced

Reps. Peter Welch, D-Vt., Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., Darin LaHood, R-Ill., and Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, yesterday reintroduced the Value in Health Care Act, AHA-supported legislation to strengthen Medicare’s value-based payment models and accountable care organizations.

“The reforms in this legislation will further strengthen ACOs and APMs and ensure their continued success,” AHA and other national health organizations said in a letter to the bill’s sponsors. “We are pleased that the bill provides appropriate shared savings rates, modifies risk adjustment methodologies, removes barriers to participation, ensures fair and accurate benchmarks, and provides educational and technical support for ACOs. The bill also makes important steps to reinforce the transition to value through extending and modifying Advanced APM bonuses and addressing aspects of APM overlap. To advance goals of addressing health in equities, the bill directs a study of the impact of value-based care on health equity. These reforms will ensure that value-based care models continue to be viable for physician and hospital participants.”