This update features policy developments, media reports, and events supporting continued momentum for multiple V-BID Center initiatives.

Recent Center Events:

V-BID 2019 Summit: Lower Premiums, Better Coverage

On March 13, 2019, 170 leaders from across the country and the health care spectrum came together to discuss strategies for tackling some of the industry’s most relevant challenges at our 13th annual Summit. Read more.

Policy News:

CMS Adds Hospice Component to 2021 V-BID Model

As part of the V-BID model, CMS is carving the Medicare hospice benefit into Medicare Advantage plans, ensuring beneficiaries’ continued access to services received under the Medicare hospice benefit. Read more on V-BID and Medicare Advantage.

In the News:

BenefitsPRO: Taking a Fresh Look at Value-Based Insurance Design

Suzanne DelBanco, CEO of Catalyst for Payment Reform, emphasizes the unrealized opportunity for V-BID to make an impact on the utilization of high-value and low-value healthcare services, particularly in employer-sponsored health insurance.

NPR: High-Deductible Health Policies Linked to Delay in Diagnosis and Treatment

NPR discusses a recent Health Affairs study that showed low-income women with high-deductible plans waited longer for necessary care, likely as a result of price. Read more about V-BID’s solution.

Axios: The 2020 Election Will Be Won on Out-of-Pocket Costs

In a recent Axios column, Drew Altman of the Kaiser Family Foundation explains why the the winning health care message in the 2020 election will be about patient out-of-pocket costs. For more on out-of-pocket costs, read about The Drug Price Iceberg.

NEJM Catalyst: The Evidence for High-Value Benefit Designs

NEJM Catalyst recently reviewed the evidence for various benefit designs, noting the success of V-BID models in improving both medication adherence and preventive care uptake and reducing emergency room visits.

Health Data Management: Using Data to Trim Low-Value Care

According to an article in Health Data Management, at the V-BID Summit, Arnold Ventures announced a  $2.2 million grant for the Virginia Center for Health Innovation to use in its efforts to reduce low-value care at six provider organizations across the state.

Detroit News: Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs for the Needy

In an opinion piece in The Detroit News, Mark Fendrick discusses how a recent Trump administration proposal slashing out-of-pocket costs will improve the health of the most vulnerable patients.

Gallup: US Seniors Pay Billions, Yet Many Cannot Afford Healthcare

A report by West Health and Gallup found seniors spend $22 billion on healthcare, yet 7.5 million cannot afford to pay for their medication(s). Find out how V-BID improves healthcare for seniors with Medicare Advantage plans.

In the Literature:

IHPI News: High-Value, Preventive Care May Also Result in Unnecessary Care

IHPI News highlights research showing that encouraging high-value preventive care may also result in greater use of services with little to no clinical benefit, implying the need to align payment reform and benefit design around the benefits – not costs – of clinical services.

Fierce Healthcare: High-Deductible Health Plan Enrollees Don’t Act Like Savvy Shoppers

An article in Fierce Healthcare discussed research showing that patients with high-deductible health plans do not proactively price shop, identifying an opportunity for employers, insurers, and providers to help.

Health Affairs: Consumers’ Perceptions and Choices Related to Value-Based Insurance Design

In March 2019, a study in Health Affairs showed consumers preferred value-based benefit design over other value-based models, like reference pricing and narrow networks.

The European Journal of Health Economics: A Systematic Review and Met-Analysis of Value-Based Insurance Design

An article in The European Journal of Health Economics encouraged the implementation of V-BID, specifically for patients with heart disease. Learn more about V-BID implementation.

Please Help Support the V-BID Center

As a non-profit entity, the V-BID Center relies on fundraising to support our research, education, and policy efforts.

Please help us continue our work by donating here. We truly appreciate your consideration.