Connected Health Initiative Launches Value-Based Care Task Force

Can telehealth and mHealth play an integral role in the shift to value-based care?

The Connected Health Initiative thinks so.

The Washington-based organization has announced the formation of a Value-Based Care Task Force, aimed at making sure connected health tools and concepts are included in the conversation as the nation’s healthcare system shifts away from fee-for-service and into VBC.

“The U.S. government recognizes the need to shift the American healthcare system from a fee-for-service approach to one that incents value and improved outcomes,” CHI Executive Director Morgan Reed said in a press release. “But healthcare costs continue to soar, disparities are more pronounced than ever, and the ideal of a value-based ecosystem remains unrealized. CHI believes the responsible use of digital tools can speed the adoption of a value-based system that prioritizes high-quality and more efficient patient care.”

The new group’s first action will be to create a white paper that tackles three topics:

• Amending federal laws to support connected health strategies that advance VBC, in areas that include fee-for-service concepts, the Merits-based Incentive Payment Systems (MIPS) and Alternative Payment Models (APMs);
• Changing federal regulations to support connected health strategies in payment systems like the Physician Fee Schedule and Durable Medical Equipment coverage; and
• Working with payers to incentivize connected health in VBC initiatives.

The task force is taking on a concept that’s popular yet also elusive. The challenge will be to push the healthcare industry away from a model that reimburses providers for services rendered and compels it to identify value in care management and health and wellness.