FEBRUARY 25, 2013

A. Mark Fendrick, MD, Director of the Center for Value-Based Insurance Design (V-BID) at the University of Michigan, has been invited to testify at a hearing on Medicare benefit design before the U.S. House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health on Tuesday, February 26, 2013.

Dr. Fendrick’s testimony focuses on the importance of re-designing Medicare benefits to engage beneficiaries to utilize evidence-based clinical services and high performing providers, as well as the quality improvement and cost containment that result when clinical nuance is incorporated in benefit design.

Additionally, the V-BID Center recently submitted comments on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Proposed Rule (NPRM CMS-2334-P) regarding Medicaid premiums and cost-sharing.  The rule would allow states to apply clinical nuance to benefit design that promotes the use of high-value services and providers, while limiting the use of low-value services and providers.  The proposed rule presents a major opportunity for States to incorporate V-BID principles into their Medicaid programs.