Massachusetts

As a leader in health care reform and innovation, Massachusetts is dedicated to transforming its payment and delivery systems to transition away from FFS to a system of value-based purchasing stragtegies. MassHealth, the state Medicaid program, is expanding value-based purchasing strategies for Managed Care Organizations and aims to expand this initiative to include global payments by MCOs to integrated care organizations and other integrated providers, and transition primary care provider payment methodologies into alignment with Patient-Centered Medical Homes. 

In 2012, Massachusetts enacted Chapter 224 of the Acts of 2012 to slow the growth in state health care costs, improve quality of care and patient outcomes, and increase transparency and oversight of provider and payer price and cost data. The law builds on the momentum in the private market by providing for the development of processes for the certification of organizations as accountable care organizations and patient centered medical homes. In addition, the law creates a “Model ACO” program through which organizations can be designated as “Model ACOs” and receive priority from MassHealth, the Group Insurance Commission, and the Health Connector.

 

CHIPRA: 
Yes
MAPCP: 
No
Dual Eligible: 
Yes
2703 Health Home: 
No
CPCi: 
No
SIM Awards: 
Yes
PCMH in QHP: 
No
Legislative PCMH Initiative: 
Yes
Private Payer Program: 
Yes
State Facts: 
Population:
6,595,300
Uninsured Population:
4%
Total Medicaid Spending FY 2013: 
$13.2 Billion 
Overweight/Obese Adults:
58.0%
Poor Mental Health among Adults: 
35.8%
Medicaid Expansion: 
Yes 

VA Central Western Massachusetts director says 'modest improvements' made in wait times for primary care appointments

NORTHAMPTON - The VA Central Western Massachusetts Health Care System has lessened the waiting time for new patient appointments with primary care physicians, according to John P. Collins, who is approaching his year anniversary as director of the Leeds-based system.

News Author: 
Anne-Gerard Flynn

And Then There Were Two: Mass. Struggles to Make Duals Demo Succeed

Massachusetts had probably the toughest assignment in making a CMS-backed demonstration for Medicare-Medicaid dual eligibles work — and it’s about to get even harder. Fallon Total Care, one of three chosen plans that actually started the demo (three others dropped out before the demo started in late 2013), said on June 16 that it would leave the program Sept. 30. It had tried to find a way to stay, Fallon said, but ultimately had to decide that continued participation was “not economically feasible.”

News Author: 
James Gutman

Steward pressing for House MassHealth ACO budget rider

One of the state's largest health care providers hopes the state budget that's being assembled might spur the state's most expensive program to embrace an alternative payment model.

Accountable care organizations (ACOs) have been touted as an alternative to the traditional fee-for-service and a way to trim health care costs while also improving health outcomes.

News Author: 
Andy Metzger

Boston Children's Physicians' Group Receives $1 Million in Additional Funding to Support Innovative Behavioral Health Integration Program

The Pediatric Physicians' Organization at Children's (PPOC), a preferred Boston Children's Hospital Community of Care member and one of largest pediatric primary care physician organizations in the U.S., announced that it has received an additional $1 million dollars in funding from the Payor-Provider Quality Initiative, to expand its behavioral health integration (BHI) program aimed at improving access to pediatric behavioral health services for children and families in need.

Iora Health

Founded in 2011, Iora Health incorporates team-based care that puts the patient first as well as a payment system that is based on care, not billing codes and technology. 

Mass. Blues has an offer doctors might refuse

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts wants to expand its use of global budgets outside of managed care. But the plan's success will depend on how many doctors are willing to accept the risk. 

Doctors across the country have criticized Medicare's accountable care contracts that make physicians responsible for curbing health spending without allowing them to influence where and when patients get care. But the Massachusetts Blues in recent weeks began to approach the state's medical groups with a similar proposal. 

News Author: 
Melanie Evans

Chapter 224 of the Acts of 2012

Chapter 224 of the Acts of 2012 was enacted to slow the growth in state health care costs, improve quality of care and patient outcomes, and increase transparency and oversight of provider and payer price and cost data.

Integrating Community Health Worker Models into Evolving State Health Care Systems

2015-02-23 13:30 to 15:00

As states transform their health systems, many are turning to CHWs to tackle some of the most challenging aspects of health improvement, such as facilitating care coordination, enhancing access to community-based services, and addressing social determinants of health. As interest in CHWs continues to rise, so do challenges related to defining roles and scope of practice, training and certification, financing, and integrating CHWs into evolving health care systems.

Announcement Type: 

Iora Health model plans to double number of sites after $28M funding

Having secured 

News Author: 
Jessica Bartlett

How Partners Healthcare Commits to 100% Appropriate Care and Eliminates Prior Authorization

2015-01-07 15:00 to 16:00

Appropriate use of diagnostics and procedures is a strategic imperative for providers focused on improving population health while lowering costs. As much as one-third of US healthcare spending is wasteful or unnecessary. Payers respond by requiring medical necessity reviews, especially for high-cost and high-volume procedures.

Announcement Type: 

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