New Payment Model Improves Pediatric Outcomes and Lowers Spending
The Children’s Care Network (TCCN) and Amerigroup Georgia entered into a value-based agreement on July 1st that arms health care providers with enhanced data and analytics to effectively coordinate patient care, promote preventive health, manage chronic disease, and lower overall costs. This agreement will help to align clinical care, reimbursement, and data sharing between TCCN and Amerigroup, and will manage approximately 108,000 attributed lives.
Value-based health care is a rapidly growing national model for care delivery and payment that centers the health care delivery system on primary care physician practices. The model rewards doctors for positive outcomes, rather than paying them for every test and procedure. The model incentivizes doctors and hospitals to work together for more effective, coordinated care, resulting in better patient health and lower costs.
“The shift toward a health care model that prioritizes quality of care over volume of care is a critically important way to improve care and reduce costs. Value-based care programs give doctors the freedom to care for their patients and help them to live longer, healthier lives. TCCN is a highly integrated and technologically advanced network of pediatricians, making them an ideal partner for this highly collaborative care model.”
Mel Lindsey, President, Amerigroup Georgia
TCCN is a physician-led, clinically integrated network that encompasses a broad cross-section of primary care pediatricians and specialists in the Atlanta area. TCCN represents more than 175 community practices, plus Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta employed physicians and affiliated faculty. The network is specifically designed to improve quality of care and decrease inappropriate utilization, while at the same time providing community benefit.
“TCCN is enthusiastic about this agreement which recognizes and supports the investment of time and resources necessary to improve quality for all children across the spectrum of pediatric care. Our collaboration with Amerigroup focuses on health rather than cost and we are confident that this will benefit families across Georgia.”
Anu Sheth, MD, Board Chair, The Children’s Care Network
Joint programming will expand on the successful network initiatives of improving well-child care through age-appropriate screenings and vaccinations (HEDIS measures). Programming will also address behavioral and mental health conditions through increased prevention, screening, and treatment strategies with special emphasis on the foster care population. The application of new population health management tools will improve the ability to identify and jointly address health disparities or access to care.