On April 22, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final rule, Medicaid Program; Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Managed Care Access, Finance, and Quality. The rule aims to promote consistency and transparency, with an increased focus on improving access, driving quality, and advancing equity for Medicaid beneficiaries. CMS has been moving in this direction for several years, and states managed care organizations, and providers have
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Healthcare Policy Regulation & Reform | News, Analysis, Insights - HIT Consultant
Astrana Health Acquires Collaborative Health Systems to Expand Care Delivery Network
What You Should Know:
- Astrana Health, a leading technology-powered healthcare company acquires Collaborative Health Systems (CHS), a management services organization serving over 129,000 beneficiaries across 17 states.
- The strategic move will significantly expand Astrana’s care delivery capabilities and solidify its position as a key player in the value-based care market.
Expanding Geographic Footprint and Enhancing Care Delivery
CHS brings a strong
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Astrana Health and Elation Health Partner to Build Value-Based ACOs, CINs
What You Should Know:
- Astrana Health (NASDAQ: ASTH), a provider-centric healthcare company, today announced a strategic partnership with Elation Health, a clinical-first technology company specializing in primary care.
- The partnership focuses on supporting independent physicians by providing them with the tools necessary to thrive in value-based care arrangements. Astrana and Elation plan to establish risk-bearing entities, such as accountable care organizations (ACOs) and
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Why Patient Engagement Must Be at the Center of Value-Based Care
In the dynamic and ever-changing landscape of the healthcare industry, patient engagement continues to emerge as a pivotal element of the value-based care (VBC) model. Value-based care seeks to improve health outcomes by leveraging the Quintuple Aim framework – focusing on the patient experience, population health success, cost reduction, team wellbeing, and health equity. Value-based care models center on patient outcomes and how well healthcare providers can improve the quality of care based
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JAMA: Traditional Medicare Is, In Fact, The Failure
What You Should Know:
- A new article published in JAMA Internal Medicine reignites the debate about Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare.
- Dr. Sachin H. Jain, CEO of SCAN Group and SCAN Health Plan, argues in favor of Medicare Advantage, while Drs. Adam Gaffney, David Himmelstein, and Steffie Woolhandler advocate for traditional Medicare.
Traditional Medicare: Lower Costs, Fewer Benefits
Traditional Medicare offers beneficiaries lower premiums, but it comes with
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How Skilled Nursing Facilities Can Navigate New Value-Based Purchasing Rules
Post-acute care facilities for years have been preparing for the impact that value-based purchasing (VBP) programs would have.
The Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) and the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 put providers on notice that quality of care measures, like reducing hospital readmissions and improving patient outcomes, would take precedence over fee-for-service models.
In 2024, the stakes have gotten much higher for post-acute care facilities. Understanding
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Beyond the EHR: Why We Need a Patient Communication Layer
Healthcare looks a lot different than it did a few years ago. Healthcare leaders need to address rising consumerism, persistent labor shortages, systemic equity gaps, and a critical shift toward value-based care.
It’s worth asking: If the healthcare landscape has changed so much, why do foundational electronic health record (EHR) systems stand largely unchanged?
Sure, the walled gardens surrounding the EHR have dropped a bit, as the EHR giants have been badgered into interoperability
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M&A: Aledade Acquires Michigan’s Medical Advantage
What You Should Know:
- Aledade, the nation's leading network of independent primary care practices, announced today the acquisition of Michigan-based Medical Advantage.
- This strategic acquisition further solidifies Aledade's position as the preeminent Accountable Care Organization (ACO) network and a driving force in value-based care.
Expanding Physician Partnerships in Michigan
The acquisition significantly expands Aledade's network in Michigan, bringing the number of
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inVio Health Network and CVS Accountable Care Partner to Improve Medicare Patient Care in South Carolina
What You Should Know:
- inVio Health Network and CVS Accountable Care Organization, a division of CVS Health, have announced a collaboration to participate in the new Medicare Accountable Care Organization (ACO) REACH program. This initiative focuses on improving access to high-quality healthcare for traditional Medicare beneficiaries in South Carolina.
- The collaboration builds upon the past achievements of Prisma Health Upstate and Prisma Health Midlands Networks, which merged in
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3 Lessons in Digital Patient Engagement from Healthcare’s ‘Most Wired’ Organizations
Digital patient engagement is a balancing act of determining where resources should be deployed and how to create cheer-worthy experiences.
The stakes for delivering the right mobile experience in healthcare have never been higher. A recent Accenture survey found digital engagement has a significant influence on patient retention. This raises pressure for health systems to design digital tools and experiences that strengthen patient loyalty and protect or increase revenue.
Meanwhile,
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