LHC Group, VNS Health, Curana Execs On How To Take ‘Baby Steps’ Into Value-Based Care

Home Health Care News | By Patrick Filbin
 
Post-acute care has steadily been shifting toward value-based care and away from fee-for-service payment models. But despite the fact this trend is years in the making, many home health providers are still asking themselves, “How do we get started?”
 
Executives from four different post-acute and value-based care-focused organizations explored that question on Tuesday during a webinar conversation hosted by the health care technology company Netsmart.
 
“If you’re starting right now, partnering with another organization — especially the payviders — is a great place to start,” Devin Woodley, vice president of managed care contracting at VNS Health, said during the panel. “We’re empathetic towards the provider side. We understand what providers are looking for and where they’re trying to go. Partnering with a payvider or a consultant is the best place to start in order to take those steps in the right direction.”
 
The New York-based VNS Health is one of the largest and oldest nonprofit home- and community-based health care organizations in the U.S. The company’s service offerings include home health, hospice, personal care, palliative care services, mental health support and more.
 
In health care, the term “payvider” refers to an organization that operates both as an insurer and a provider of services. Take Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), which has CenterWell and then its insurer arms, as an example.
 
About 25 years ago, VNS Health also built out its own health plan. With over 35,000 members, it’s now where most of the company’s revenue comes from.
 
By partnering with a payvider like VNS Health, Woodley said providers can avoid a lot of the pitfalls that come in the early days of value-based contracting.
 
Finding the right value-based partner with similar expectations is another key component in establishing a presence in value-based care, Amy Kaszak, EVP of strategic initiatives at Curana, said during the webinar.
 
“Finding a partner that will meet you where you are [is also important] so your first step doesn’t have to be into the deep end,” Kaszak said. “There are more ways to do that today like Medicare Advantage plans and smaller organizations focused on the populations that you care for – that’s a great place to start.”

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