SIM has started floating their proposals to implement health
care reform in CT and
#2
in particular is
troubling
for consumers. One proposal offered as a financing option by SIM staff
would replace advanced payments for new, effective services such as care
coordination and medication management with shared savings payments. This could
create unfortunate incentives to parse patient panels and deliver those services
only to patients who can produce savings. The incentives to recoup investments
not guaranteed by advanced payments, are similar to downside risk. SIM has
repeatedly affirmed the likely value of these new services and stated their
intention to encourage them. Netting their cost out of or completely replacing
them with shared savings payments would undermine that commitment. Interestingly,
other new treatments -- drugs and therapies -- that are expected to add value
and keep people healthy, are not disincentivized. These new services are no
less valuable because they are not traditional care.
Policy papers
#1
and
#2
are doubtless only the beginning of a flood of policy proposals. Stay tuned for
more comments from consumer advocates.
