Innovative Medicaid Hospital Payment Policies
Medicaid fee-for-service payments to hospitals totaled $89.5 billion in FY 2013, accounting for 20.3% of all Medicaid fee-for-service spending. This roundtable will provide the opportunity for interested attendees to share their state’s payment models and innovations for hospital care. This could include rate methodology changes, value-based purchasing initiatives, pay-for-performance and other incentive programs, multi-payer pilots, ACO efforts, and their impact on outcomes and stakeholders.
Expert Resources: Carla Willis, Senior Research Associate-Medicaid, Georgia Health Policy Center; Bill Rencher, Research Associate II-Medicaid, Georgia Health Policy Center; and Evan Cole, Associate Project Director-Medicaid, Georgia Health Policy Center; Georgia Health Policy Center
NASHP Representative: Charles Townley, Policy Specialist, NASHP
For individuals living with complex, often chronic conditions, and their families, palliative care can provide relief from symptoms, improve satisfaction and outcomes, and help address critical mental and spiritual needs during difficult times. Now more than ever, there is growing recognition of the importance of palliative care services for individuals with serious illness, such as advance care planning, pain and symptom management, care coordination, and team-based, multi-disciplinary support. These services can help patients and families cope with the symptoms and stressors of disease, better anticipate and avoid crises, and reduce unnecessary and/or unwanted care. While this model is grounded in evidence that demonstrates improved quality of life, better outcomes, and reduced cost for patients, only a fraction of individuals who could benefit from palliative care receive it. 
