Only 21% of primary care physicians feel they are fairly compensated, according to a new report released by Pearl Health, a tech company that helps independent physician practices participate in value-based care models. For the report, the company collected survey responses from 202 primary care physicians from July 11 to October 9. Recent data shows that the three physician specialties with the lowest compensation rates are preventive, general practice and family practice. There is some irony to this given the fact that quality primary care can significantly reduce overall healthcare expenditures in the long term, the report pointed out. One 2018 study argued that each dollar invested in primary care saves $13 in downstream costs.

The U.S. healthcare system’s transition to value-based care might be slowed by current financial conditions, according to an October 2023 report published in NEJM Catalyst. In June, 915 members of an NEJM Catalyst Insights Council — composed of clinicians, clinical leaders and executives at organizations directly involved in care delivery — were surveyed about their workplace’s financial health. Half of the 543 U.S.-based respondents are employed by hospitals, while the rest work for health systems, clinics, physician organizations or other healthcare facilities. The report was co-authored by Baligh Yehia, MD, president of Philadelphia-based Jefferson Health, and Alice Pope, CFO of Falls Church, Va.-based Inova Health System.

ACOs Prepare for eCQM Quality Reporting

Health IT Answers | November 8, 2023

Healthcare quality reporting is evolving, and accountable care organizations (ACOs) are at the forefront of this change. In 2025, ACOs will be required to shift from traditional quality reporting via the CMS Web Interface to electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs), marking a significant transition in their reporting process. This transformation aims to enhance patient care quality and better align ACO reporting with the Quality Payment Program (QPP) Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). Reporting via eCQM is optional in 2023 and 2024, but it becomes mandatory in 2025. Several ACOs have already started reporting via eCQM with positive results. These organizations received concessions from CMS to serve as early adopters and test the system.

Unmet caregiver needs are a top issue to address in developing end-of-life care models encircling the Medicare landscape.

Among top priorities in current and future payment models is to improve care for those with serious and terminal illnesses, which includes caregiver support, according to Purva Rawal, chief strategy officer for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI). “Addressing unpaid caregiver needs [and] respite services, these are two very significant innovations that we’re testing. {It’s about the] choices they have to make day-to-day,” Rawal said at the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC)–Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC) Leadership Summit.

Lumeris empowers health systems to deliver exceptional value-based care through technology, insurance capabilities and on-the-ground know-how. Using their highly-acclaimed model and a team that is both passionate and experienced, Lumeris helps their partners advance population health, improve provider and patient experiences, enhance financial stability, achieve market-leading results, and ultimately fulfill the promise of value-based care.

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