The V-BID Center eagerly anticipates the October roll-out of health insurance exchanges.
If you know of a plan offering that features V-BID elements, please contact us at vbidcenter@umich.edu or 734-615-9635.
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Aligning quality, price transparency, clinical appropriateness & consumer incentives
The pursuit of higher value health care is frequently hindered by a lack of easily accessible information about the quality, price, and medical necessity of health care services.
Today, Catalyst for Payment Reform and
the V-BID Center released a joint white paper examining obstacles to quality and price transparency. The paper highlights ways to motivate consumers to shop for care based on value and focusing on initiatives that meld consumer incentives with greater price transparency. These initiatives include reference and value pricing, tiered and narrow networks, centers of excellence contracting, and value-based insurance design.
Blending quality and price transparency with evidence-based consumer incentives can lead to an increase in the use of higher-value care and clinically appropriate services delivered in the most appropriate venue. In turn, this should also lead to a decrease in inappropriate and potentially harmful medical expenditures.
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NEJM: Michigan's Medicaid Expansion - A model for pragmatic, bipartisan health reform?
Michigan's newly expanded Medicaid program which explicitly includes V-BID principles
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Kaiser: Those with & without insurance report problems putting off care due to cost
Over half of the public reports putting off or skipping some sort of health care in the past year due to the cost. Most common were skipping dental care (37%), relying on home remedies or over-the-counter drugs instead of going to the doctor (35%), and putting off or postponing needed care (34%). Delaying care was more common among the uninsured, those in fair or poor health, and those with lower incomes. Also noteworthy was that over half (54%) of those with coverage said they have delayed or gone without some type of health care in the past year, because they couldn't afford it.
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Avalere: Despite lower premiums, exchange consumers may face high cost-sharing
Consumers may have to dig a little deeper to pay for health care in the insurance exchanges, according to an analysis by Avalere Health. The study of six states suggests that consumers may face steep cost-sharing requirements such as co-payments, co-insurance and deductibles layered on top of their monthly premiums.
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Medication adherence and pediatric chronic illness
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Penn State will vote to suspend health plan changes
Recently, Penn State University rolled out a new benefit plan for its employees featuring variable cost-sharing given a patient's conditions, provider choice, and specific services obtained. The plan also included a $100 surcharge for employees who declined to participate in a health assessment survey. Due to confidentiality concerns, Penn State has suspended the fee and will vote to impose a one-year moratorium on implementing the health care change. Privacy issues raised in this case have drawn the attention of at least one US House Member.
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"Cadillac" health plans poised to increase cost-sharing
Beginning in 2018, "Cadillac" health plans (benefit plans that cost above $10,200 annually for individual plans and $27,500 for family plans) will be taxed at 40 percent of their costs in excess of the limit, the New York Times reports. Plans covering public employees will be especially impacted.
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 The University of Michigan Center for Value-Based Insurance Design (V-BID) leads in research, development and advocacy for innovative health benefit designs.For more information about V-BID, please visit our website and sign up to receive our newsletter.
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