May newsletter: Significant progress in paying for value strategy

Washington State Health Care Authority sent this bulletin at 05/23/2017 08:02 AM PDT
HWLogo

Better Health. Better Care. Lower Costs.

May 23, 2017

A note from the Director

dorothy

Each month we are eager to share the milestones reached under the Healthier Washington initiative, but since announcing my departure as director of the Health Care Authority, I have been inspired by a longer view. 

By engaging with partners across the state and collaborating with new ones, we have done much to transform the health system. We have cultivated an environment of innovation and creative solutions to complex health care issues.

Your commitment has been remarkable, and the results of this hard work is impressive and will be lasting. 

To name just a few accomplishments:

  • We saw nine Accountable Communities of Health form and grow into active catalysts for health improvement in their regions.
  • We launched new value-based payment models that support the achievement of the triple aim.
  • We became the first state in the nation to certify patient decision aids.  
  • We have a common measure set that serves as the foundation for measuring our performance and evolutionary improvement.

The launch of our Medicaid Transformation Demonstration this year sets the stage for even more innovation as we tackle care delivery redesign and the needs of an aging population. And we are building the infrastructure to gather data from a range of previously disconnected sources so we can address health inequalities through smart, targeted initiatives.

While my future role will not be as director of the Health Care Authority, I will continue to contribute to Healthier Washington in other ways. I leave our stakeholders and health care consumers in the capable hands of a team that believes fervently the future will be better than the present, and that we have the ability to make it so.

Dorothy F. Teeter

Ways to engage Healthier Washington

Tell us what you need

What information about Healthier Washington would help you?
Answer here.

Join the conversation

Connect with your local Accountable Community of Health

Share your story

Do you have a story that illustrates health systems transformation? We would love to hear it. Learn how to share your story.

Become a volunteer Sentinel

The Sentinel Network is currently recruiting volunteers from health care employers to help track Washington’s rapidly changing health workforce. Learn more.

Annual report offers overview of accomplishments

Healthier Washington’s annual report describes progress achieved under Year Two of the State Innovation Model grant. The report was submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid in May.

Counties shown pathway to whole-person care delivery

The state is moving forward with integrated purchasing of physical and behavioral health services for Apple Health (Medicaid) clients. On May 10, county executives and commissioners received details on an implementation pathway from Medicaid Director MaryAnne Lindeblad. Counties that have not already become an early adopter or mid-adopter have been asked to select which year to implement the integrated managed care model in their region.

Learn more:

Tools take mystery out of paying for value

The HCA has developed a Value-based Purchasing Toolkit aimed at decision-makers of health care purchasing. It offers an overview of the principles behind value-based purchasing and a series of documents to help the decision-makers take next steps in the contracting process.

The state encourages purchasers to take a leadership role in purchasing health care benefits and participate in new payment methods that reward value and transparency.

In May, Healthier Washington posted an interactive tool to help you see for yourself how quality measures and an upside/downside financial model could work. The Quality Improvement Score Calculator uses the HCA’s accountable care program as the basis.

Learn more from our animated videos: