- UnitedHealth Group will offer data and analytics support to providers participating in one of CMS’s new bundled payment programs.
- UnitedHealth Group’s extensive experience using data and technology to help coordinate care.
UnitedHealth Group will help support a new Medicare bundled payment program by offering data and analytics services to participating providers.
The payer announced in a press release that it will contribute data and analytics, technology, and care coordination services to assist providers that participate in the CMS Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced payment model.
UnitedHealth believes that supporting the BPCI will drive advancements in value-based payments and increase the use of bundled payments.
“UnitedHealth Group’s extensive experience using data and technology to help coordinate care and improve health outcomes positions the company as a strong partner for care providers participating in bundled payment programs,” the payer said.
“This form of value-based care is a benefit both for the people needing treatment and the care providers delivering it, and UnitedHealth Group is committed to finding even more ways to expand its use.”
The BPCI launches on October 1st, 2018 and allows acute care hospitals and provider group practices to receive bundled payments for 32 different types of episodes of care.
Twenty-nine of the care episodes involve inpatient care for cardiac-related conditions, stroke, and hip and joint replacements. Three care episodes in the BPCI reimburse providers for outpatient coronary interventions, cardiac defibrillation, and back and neck treatment.
The BPCI has seven quality measures involving all-cause hospital readmissions, advanced care planning, patient safety indicators, hip and knee arthroplasty, and excess days in acute care settings. All clinical episodes will be evaluated with at least the all-cause hospital readmission and advanced care plan measures.
Jeff Meyerhofer, President of UnitedHealthcare Medicare and Retirement Bundled Payments, told HealthPayerIntelligence.com via email that UnitedHealth group will focus on orthopedic, spine, and cardiac-related episodes, but will continually evaluate and expand support for additional episodes.
UnitedHealth’s data sharing practices to support the BPCI is the latest development in the payer’s value-based practices. Currently, $64 billion of UnitedHealth Group’s annual reimbursements are tied to value-based payment arrangements.
Meyerhofer added that his organization has expressed interest in future use of bundled payments to non BPCI providers and within the private payer sector.
“Beyond its intent to participate in BPCI Advanced, UnitedHealth Group maintains its interest in future opportunities to bundle payment with non-BPCI specialists and align incentives that improve total cost of care,” Meyerhofer said.
“UnitedHealth Group is bringing capabilities to the practice and practitioner to enable practice efficiency and risk management for BPCI but also support commercial and Medicare Advantage bundle opportunities.”
Date: Feb 26, 2018