Payment Reform and the Safety Net Webinar

Medicaid payment reform is needed to drive delivery system change. Moving to value-based purchasing strategies, particularly for patients with complex health needs, makes sense. Historically, however, few Medicaid programs have succeeded inmoving safety net providers away from volume-based reimbursement. This Medicaid-only webinar discussed options and possibilities for safety net providers to participate in value-based payment models. Oregon’s Medicaid Director described how safety net providers fit into the state’s new Coordinated Care Organization program, as well as the development of a new alternative payment methodology (APM) for federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). Senior staff from the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services, CHIP, and Survey & Certification (CMCS) at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) followed with remarks on state flexibility to pursue new value-based purchasing strategies, especially through State plan amendments and 1115 waivers.
 
Presenters:
Carol Backstrom (CMS)
Judy Mohr-Peterson and Don Ross (Division of Medical Assistance Programs, Oregon Health Authority
 
This event inspired a blog post by NASHP’s Jason Buxbaum on State Refor(u)m, an online network for state health policymakers. The post, “Helping FQHCs Get Off the Treadmill,” discusses Oregon’s proposed alternative payment methodology (APM) for FQHCs.