In the present era of healthcare, it is insufficient to offer each patient the same level of care. When developing care delivery strategies, healthcare providers and other stakeholders must actively prioritize health equity initiatives. Health equity refers to ensuring that every patient has an equal opportunity to achieve the highest possible level of health. To accomplish this, stakeholders must work towards addressing social determinants of health and health disparities among the populations they serve
As the industry shifts from fee-for-service to value-based care, adding health equity into alternative payment models (APMs) will help patients receive more equitable care. Healthcare providers are motivated by APMs to provide patients with coordinated care that is of high quality. To determine which strategies are successful in improving care and reducing costs, the CMS Innovation Center continuously experiments with new payment and delivery models.
The Health Care Payment Learning & Action Network (HCP LAN) has identified three primary components of Alternative Payment Models (APMs). These include payment and incentives, healthcare delivery system organization, and performance metrics. When developing their strategy, APMs must also prioritize three key areas. Marshall Chin, co-chair of HCP-LAN’s Health Equity Advisory Team and a general internist and health services researcher at the University of Chicago, provides insight on these areas.
