Department of Health Presents First Value-Based Payment Bootcamp

The first Department of Health (DOH) Value-Based Payment Bootcamp was held on June 2nd in Albany. The Bootcamps are intended to prepare providers and Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) to reach the MRT waiver's goal of making 80 percent of all MCO payments to providers through Value-Based Payment (VBP) arrangements by fiscal year 2019-20. Twenty-seven percent of all MCO payments are now made through VBP arrangements, and only a small fraction of those payments are made by managed long term care plans.

The six-hour session covered a wide range of topics including background on the State's VBP Roadmap, authorized payment models under the Roadmap, incentives and penalties for providers and plans to promote the Roadmap's VBP goals, quality measures, VBP Pilots and Innovator initiatives, and steps to get ready for VBP arrangements. DOH reiterated its interest in encouraging the formation of networks of providers through accountable care organizations (ACOs) and Independent Provider Associations (IPAs) that will provide the scale and infrastructure for VBP arrangements. It also highlighted the importance of addressing the social determinants of health to achieve positive VBP results. In particular, DOH pointed to housing as a critical element of improving health outcomes at a lower overall cost.

DOH stressed that the Bootcamps are networking opportunities for providers and plans, as well as educational forums. For those who cannot attend the Bootcamps, recordings of the Region 1 sessions will be made available on the DOH website. A recording of the first session is available here, and the slides are available here. There is also a VBP Resource Library on the DOH website.

DOH will be convening three Bootcamp sessions in each of five regions. Registration information is available here. More information from LeadingAge New York about the Bootcamps is available here.

Contact: Karen Lipson, klipson@leadingageny.org, 518)867-8383 ext. 124.