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Newly Released Report Recommends Pathways to Address Food Access and Nutrition in Medicaid Programs
Webinar Set for January 21 to Showcase Report Findings/Strategies
JANUARY 5, 2022 (WASHINGTON, DC) – Understanding that access to affordable, healthy food is fundamental to the population’s health and wellbeing; and without such access, individuals face greater risk of disease and increased health care costs, experts from three leading organizations came together to offer key strategies to address the challenges to food access and good nutrition in a special report released today.
The 28-page report, Addressing Nutrition and Food Access in Medicaid, is a collaborative effort from The Food Trust, Population Health Alliance (PHA), and the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation of Harvard Law School (CHLPI). The newly released report highlights opportunities for food access organizations, health care payers, and policymakers to leverage funding from state Medicaid programs to improve access to nutrition interventions in health care settings.
Food insecurity and poor diet are associated with a range of negative health outcomes, with poor diet as the leading risk factor for death in the United States. Like many other issues in the United States due to systemic inequities, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) are disproportionately impacted by food insecurity and diet-related disease. Integrating food access and nutrition services into health care delivery and financing is an important part of the solution.
“As community-based organizations work to connect more individuals with programs that improve well-being and prevent diet-related disease, partnerships with healthcare institutions are essential,” says Mark Edwards, President & CEO of The Food Trust. “By working together, we can ensure that all Americans are empowered to use food as medicine.”
“The Population Health Alliance remains committed to addressing social determinants of health and health inequities. Sourcing adequate nutrition in particular is critical for health and is often lacking in communities under economic stress,” explains John Haughton, MD, MS, Chair of PHA’s Quality and Research Committee, which spearheaded the effort for the multi-stakeholder professional and trade association solely focused on population health management. “Solving how to ensure reliable access to food in your community and at scale can be challenging. Our collective newly released work offers specific actions that can be taken to increase food availability and demonstrates how these actions fit within broader Medicaid funding and policy frameworks for the betterment of individuals and communities at large.”
“More and more Medicaid providers and insurers are acknowledging the incredible value of food and nutrition services for their patients,” said Katie Garfield, Clinical Instructor for the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation. “When it comes to making these services available to Medicaid beneficiaries, many are investing heavily and seeking new strategies to complement their existing efforts. Our report unearths several funding and partnership opportunities stakeholders can leverage now and advocate for in the future to establish programming.”
The report discusses the benefits and limitations of four potential pathways to support nutrition and healthy food access in Medicaid: (1) state plan coverage; (2) public and private grants/pilots; (3) Medicaid Managed Care; and (4) Medicaid waivers. In addition, the authors outline key considerations that food access organizations, plans, and policymakers must keep in mind as they navigate new payment opportunities and establish community-clinical partnerships.
The report was developed with the support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and is available here for download. Additionally, the organizations will host a free webinar to discuss Medicaid funding for food and nutrition services on Friday, January 21 at 1:00pm ET. Registration and details are available here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_vjkfetAEQemd6_8w5LdJXw.
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Click to download a print version of this news release.
ABOUT PHA
Established in 1998, Population Health Alliance (PHA) is the industry’s only multi-stakeholder professional and trade association solely focused on population health management, representing stakeholders (e.g., health systems, health plans, employer solutions, academia, biopharma and technology companies) from across the health care ecosystem that seek to improve health outcomes optimize the consumer and provider experience and drive affordability. www.populationhealthalliance.org | @PHAVoice
ABOUT THE FOOD TRUST
The Food Trust is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization that works with supermarkets, policymakers and other stakeholders on a comprehensive approach that increases the availability and affordability of healthy food. To learn more, visit thefoodtrust.org.
ABOUT CHLPI
The Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation (CHLPI) advocates for legal, regulatory, and policy reforms in health and food systems, with a focus on the health, public health, and food needs of systemically marginalized individuals. CHLPI’s broad range of initiatives aim to expand access to high-quality health care and nutritious, affordable food; to reduce health- and food-related disparities; to develop community advocacy capacity; and, to promote more equitable, sustainable, and effective health care and food systems. To learn more, visit: https://chlpi.org.
PHA Welcomes Bayer as First Founding Corporate Partner
WASHINGTON, DC – DECEMBER 8, 2021 – Population Health Alliance (PHA), the industry’s only multi-stakeholder professional and trade association solely focused on population health management, and Bayer a life science company focused on health and nutrition, today announced they are teaming up for a special partnership. Bayer has joined as PHA’s first Corporate Partner, helping the organization to achieve its mission to improve health outcomes, optimize the consumer and provider experience, and drive affordability.
“Bayer is committed towards better patient care across the globe. They focus on patient engagement, innovation, research, and collaborations,” explains PHA’s Executive Director Thomas L. Johnson. “Our partnership is a perfect fit. As a Corporate Partner, they will be involved with many of our initiatives and programs. Bayer’s commitment as our first Corporate Partner demonstrates a strong dedication to growth of PHA. We welcome Bayer to the PHA community, and look forward to a long-standing partnership.”
“We are proud to join PHA in pursuit of Bayer’s vision of health for all, hunger for none. Engaging with other PHA members to address long-standing health inequities that harm the most vulnerable populations is more urgent than ever,” says Tricia Barrett, Executive Director of Quality & Population Health Strategy at Bayer.
PHA members come from across the health care ecosystem comprising such organizations as health plans and systems, and companies from academia, biopharma and employer solutions as well as within the health-tech sector. For more than 20 years of advocacy, coalition- and network-building, education, and quality improvement and research, PHA has led a network of members and partners in raising the importance and value of the PHA Population Health Management Framework and resultant models as a key component of health care transformation.
“We believe a health care system that systematically — and through ongoing innovation — applies the principles of population health improvement will achieve measurably better health outcomes for all individuals and populations,” explains PHA’s Chairman Emeritus Rose Maljanian, who also serves as Chairman and CEO of HealthCAWS.
“We are pleased with Bayer’s outstanding commitment and the leadership of Quality and Population Health Strategy head, Tricia Barrett,” Maljanian continues. “In addition to advancing population health improvement broadly, we look forward to working with Bayer on a focused initiative to address the timely and growing need in Chronic Kidney Disease for the betterment of consumers served by PHA members and constituents.”
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ABOUT PHA
Established in 1998, Population Health Alliance (PHA) is the industry’s only multi-stakeholder professional and trade association solely focused on population health management, representing stakeholders (e.g, health systems, health plans, employer solutions, academia, biopharma and technology companies) from across the health care ecosystem that seek to improve health outcomes optimize the consumer and provider experience and drive affordability. www.populationhealthalliance.org | @PHAVoice
ABOUT Bayer
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to help people and planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to drive sustainable development and generate a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2020, the Group employed around 100,000 people and had sales of 41.4 billion euros. R&D expenses before special items amounted to 4.9 billion euros. For more information, go to www.bayer.us.
PHA Releases First in a Series of SDOH Issue Briefs
PHA is proud to announce the release of ”Taking Stock: Historical Context and How the Pandemic Is Changing the Face of Social Determinants of Health and Health Equity,” the first chapter in our brand new “Health of Populations and Social Determinants of Health” series to be released individually over the next few months. Other issue briefs in this series will be on such topics as: Health Equity, Behavioral Health, Innovative Approaches to Care Management, and other pertinent subjects. This first thoughtful and in-depth paper was written by Board Member, Mary Jane Osmick, MD, a board-certified internal medicine physician executive with extensive experience leading organizations in health care delivery. This initiative of PHA’s Quality and Research Committee started November 1st, with the rerelease of “Taking Action on Social Determinants of Health and Health Disparities,“ a well-received whitepaper distributed to the membership and the partner community in March of 2018.
To download a copy of the “Taking Stock” Issue Brief, click here.
To download a copy of the rereleased whitepapter that includes a new preface from PHA Chairman Emeritus Rose Maljanian, click here.
PHA Committee Summarizes Key Healthcare Provisions in Biden Initiatives
To inform members of current legislative initiatives underway, PHA’s Government Affairs Committee has prepared fact sheets on both the Biden Administration’s “Build Back Better Act” and the newly-passed “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act” summarizing the key healthcare provisions. View or download the documents here: Build Back Better and Infrastructure Investment.
PHA, with BMA, Urge Congress to Protect All Medicare Beneficiaries in Reconciliation Bill
PHA, as part of Better Medicare Alliance (BMA), sent a letter to Congress urging lawmakers to protect all Medicare beneficiaries in the upcoming Reconciliation bill. PHA was among the Coalition’s 46 leading consumer, disability, minority health, and provider organizations thanking Congress for taking steps to protect Medicare Advantage beneficiaries when adding new benefits to Fee-for-Service (FFS) Medicare and encouraging lawmakers to maintain this language in the final bill. Read Congressional letter and the BMA Press Release.
PHA Welcomes Chiquita Brooks-LaSure on Board as New CMS Administrator; Releases Press Statement
Thomas L. Johnson, Population Health Alliance’s Executive Director, released the following statement on the confirmation of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to be the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS):
“We congratulate Ms. Brooks-LaSure on her successful confirmation to serve as CMS Administrator. Ms. Brooks-LaSure‘s work in advocacy for and implementation of the Affordable Care Act mirror the Biden Administration’s goal of increasing health coverage, equity, and access — all of which she has championed throughout her career.” “Over the last twenty years of advocacy, coalition building, research, and education, the Population Health Alliance has led a network of stakeholders in raising the profile of population health improvement models as key components of health care transformation. The Population Health Alliance works to promote coordinated health care interventions and communication for populations with conditions in which patient self-care efforts are significant. We look forward to working with Ms. Brooks-LaSure to address improvements in health coverage, equity and access.”
Population Health Alliance Announces Thomas L. Johnson as Executive Director
Growth Leadership for the Nation’s Only Multi-Stakeholder Association Dedicated Solely to Population Health
Washington, D.C. — Population Health Alliance (PHA) announces today that it is investing in the Association’s growth with newly appointed Executive Director Thomas L. Johnson. Thomas comes to us with highly relevant executive leadership experience, including more than eight years at the Medicaid Health Plans of America where he led the organization to achieve 650 percent growth. He holds a BA, Political Science from Tufts University and a JD, Law from Howard University. Thomas began working with PHA on April 1 and will assume the full-time role on May 3.
Population health management is at the center of the sweeping shift to value-based care, holistic consumer centric care, and the march to health equity for all. Over the last two decades of advocacy, network building, quality, research, and education, PHA has led a network of Corporate members and partners in raising the profile of population health improvement models including health and wellness, chronic care management, social determinants of health, and health equity as key components of health care transformation. “There is no better time in the history of PHA to bring on such an experienced and committed leader as Thomas Johnson. With our BOD commissioned strategic plan and newly appointed leadership, PHA is poised to reach new heights in both growth of our membership and impact from far reaching initiatives,” said Rose Maljanian, Board Chair Emeritus for the Population Health Alliance.
PHA as the premier association for population health, works diligently on behalf of its members to shine a spotlight on their important work and advocate for, and contribute to, shaping policies that prioritize the health and wellbeing of individuals in our populations through:
- Reducing barriers to high-value workplace health and wellness benefits and programs for employees
- Ensuring that all individuals have stable access to affordable choices in selecting their health benefits
- Encouraging community-based efforts and supporting programs that address medical and social determinants to promote health and wellbeing in vulnerable populations
- Supporting individuals’ active engagement with their care teams and limiting non-care related burdens and distractions for both patients and providers
- Emphasizing research and quality in the delivery of health and wellness benefits and programs to individuals
- Continuously introducing innovative solutions to create positive experiences and outcomes for all individuals
PHA additionally focuses on quality and research priorities that advance value-based care as a lever under the umbrella of population health management, optimizes consumer engagement and experience, and takes action on social determinants of health to improve outcomes and achieve health equity.
“I am honored and humbled to take on this role with PHA” said Mr. Johnson. “The importance of bringing together stakeholders critical to maximize population health efforts cannot be understated, as we look to fully understand the needs of populations in specific health care systems. I look forward to make a significant contribution to that effort.”
“Thank you to our PHA members for their steadfast support. Please visit https://populationhealthalliance.org/TLJ to join me in welcoming and supporting Thomas in this new promise for PHA and important role as Executive Director,” added Maljanian. By welcoming Thomas Johnson through the link above, new members and sponsors are eligible to receive a 20% discount on dues or sponsorship fees.
About Population Health Alliance
Population Health Alliance (PHA), a corporate 501(c)6 nonprofit organization, is the industry’s only multi-stakeholder professional and trade Association solely focused on population health management, representing stakeholders from across the health care ecosystem that seek to improve health outcomes, optimize the consumer and provider experience and drive affordability.
Contact:
Rose Maljanian
Board Chairman Emeritus, Population Health Alliance
Direct: (860) 573-1824
Office: (202) 737-5476
rmaljanian@healthcaws.com
Digital Diagnostics Joins the Population Health Alliance, Paving the Way Toward Autonomous AI Diagnostics
Committed to democratizing health care and closing care gaps, autonomous AI leader joins the national coalition dedicated to the success of population health management leaders
Washington, DC, March 15, 2021 (EIN PRESSWIRE) — Population Health Alliance (PHA), the industry’s only multi-stakeholder professional and trade association solely focused on population health, announced today that Digital Diagnostics (dxs.ai) has joined the organization as a member. With an unwavering focus on improving patient equity, outcomes, safety, and efficacy, Digital Diagnostics is committed to autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) done the right way. The first FDA-cleared autonomous AI diagnostic company of its kind, its products are used by the largest and most prestigious health systems across the U.S. and globally.
“For years we have heard about the power and the potential for AI in population health. Digital Diagnostics is making that real by enabling providers to leverage this potential by building safe, trusted diagnostic tools that are actionable and account for multiple sources of bias.” said Jaan Sidorov MD, CEO and President of the PA Clinical Network and President of the Population Health Alliance. “The PHA leadership welcomes their important perspective as we advance to a new era in consumer engagement that is powered by artificial intelligence,” he added.
“There is too much needless suffering from treatable illnesses, and this happens more in populations that do not have equitable access to healthcare. We look forward to collaborating with the Population Health Alliance as we look to the future where frontline care providers have access to point of care diagnosis and referrals to improve long-term patient outcomes,” said Michael Abramoff, MD, PhD, Founder and Executive Chairman of Digital Diagnostics.
Digital Diagnostics will be the special guest presenters for the next PHA Member Showcase Webinar this Wednesday, March 17, 2021 at 3 p.m. EST. Delivered by Founder and Executive Chairman Michael Abramoff, MD, PhD and President and Chief Operating Officer Seth Rainford, MBA, “Autonomous AI and Trust: The Path Towards Patient Centric AI” will present a specific use case for diabetic retinopathy, important ethical principles established for developing AI in health care, the current state of autonomous AI reimbursement, and where the future is headed for this work. Registration for this webinar is open to all population health management professionals.
Digital Diagnostics also recently announced the addition of George Barrett, former Cardinal Health Chairman and CEO, to the company’s board of directors, adding world-class leadership to an impressive team of leading health care payers, providers, policymakers, and academics.
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About the Population Health Alliance:
PHA represents stakeholders from across the health care ecosystem that seek to improve health outcomes, optimize medical and administrative spend, and drive affordability. Learn more at PopulationHealthAlliance.org or follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn.
About Digital Diagnostics:
Digital Diagnostics Inc. (formerly IDx) is a pioneering AI diagnostics company on a mission to transform the quality, accessibility, and affordability of health care. It was founded and is led by Michael Abramoff, MD, PhD, a practicing, fellowship-trained retina specialist ophthalmologist, neuroscientist, and computer engineer. The platform includes two autonomous AI systems – IDx-DR and 3DermSpot. Digital Diagnostics is paving the way for autonomous AI diagnosis to become a new standard of care, contributing to democratizing health care and closing care gaps. The company works closely with patient advocacy groups, federal regulators, and other quality of care and ethics-focused stakeholders to enable adoption of autonomous AI. For more information and the latest news, visit www.dxs.ai.
Population Health Alliance
Brent Ling
202.737.5476
bling@populationhealthalliance.org
www.populationhealthalliance.org
PHA Statement of Support for the Confirmation of Dr Rachel Levine as Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
The Population Health Alliance (PHA) Government Affairs Committee congratulates and welcomes the nomination of Dr Rachel Levine to serve as Assistant Secretary for Health at the United States Department of Health and Human Services and has issued the following statement:
“We are pleased to welcome the nomination of Dr Rachel Levine to serve as the Assistant Secretary for Health at the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Dr Levine’s experiences and successes in complex, multi-faceted health systems as well as leading Pennsylvania’s statewide COVID-19 response will equip her with the right tools to tackle the public health issues that most significantly impact Americans on a population level. While Dr Levine’s strong credentials speak for themselves, she would be the first openly transgender federal official confirmed by the Senate and her appointment to this position would signal the important progress made as well as work ahead for health equity in the United States. Dr Levine will serve HHS well in this role and we encourage the Senate to prioritize the confirmation of this critically important public health position.” -Brent Ling, Executive Director at the Population Health Alliance
PHA represents stakeholders from across the health care ecosystem that seek to improve health outcomes, optimize medical and administrative spend, and drive affordability. Learn more at PopulationHealthAlliance.org or follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
NeuroFlow Joins the Population Health Alliance
Technology-Enabled Behavioral Health Integration Solution Provider Joins the National Community of Population Health Management Leaders and Experts
Washington, DC, February 17, 2021 (EIN PRESSWIRE) — Population Health Alliance (PHA), the industry’s only multi-stakeholder professional and trade association solely focused on population health, today announced that NeuroFlow (neuroflow.com) has joined the organization as a member. NeuroFlow assists population health management teams to ensure that no patient who needs behavioral health support falls through the cracks. Their digital health tools empower patient self-care and enable remote coordination and delivery of mental health treatment at scale.
“NeuroFlow is an outstanding provider partner leading the way in the application of patient-centered behavioral support for patients across the continuum of care.” said Jaan Sidorov MD, CEO and President of the PA Clinical Network and President of the Population Health Alliance. “Their expertise and able leadership will enhance PHA’s advocacy and service for our members in our collective pursuit of excellence in population health management,” he added.
“Across payment strategies, clinical treatment, and population health research, there exists a gap between physical and behavioral health. Yet, we know co-occurrence is common and these conditions directly impact each other.” said Matt Miclette, Director of Clinical Operations at NeuroFlow. “Joining PHA presents a great opportunity to combine our technology and clinical expertise around behavioral health integration with the research, policy, and thought leadership of the PHA and its members to ultimately drive insights that will help improve access and engagement with behavioral health resources for those that need it the most,” he added.
NeuroFlow recently announced that their behavioral health solution will be offered to Prudential’s disability insurance claimants, as well as members covered by Capital BlueCross group plans.
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About the Population Health Alliance:
PHA represents stakeholders from across the health care ecosystem that seek to improve health outcomes, optimize medical and administrative spend, and drive affordability. Learn more at PopulationHealthAlliance.org or follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn.
About NeuroFlow:
NeuroFlow is a digital health company combining workflow automation, consumer engagement solutions, and applied AI to promote behavioral health integration in all care settings. NeuroFlow’s suite of HIPAA-compliant, cloud-based tools simplify remote patient monitoring, enable risk stratification, and facilitate collaborative care. With NeuroFlow, health care organizations can finally bridge the gap between mental and physical health in order to improve outcomes and reduce the cost of care. Learn more at http://www.neuroflow.com.
Population Health Alliance
Brent Ling
202.737.5476
bling@populationhealthalliance.org
www.populationhealthalliance.org
UPMC Health Plan Joins the Population Health Alliance
One of the fastest-growing health plans joins the national population health leadership network
Washington, DC, January 19, 2021 (EIN PRESSWIRE) — Population Health Alliance (PHA), the industry’s only multi-stakeholder professional and trade association solely focused on population health, today announced that UPMC Health Plan (upmchealthplan.com) has joined the organization as a member. UPMC Health Plan offers a full range of health insurance products that support the needs of their more than 3.9 million members across Pennsylvania. Products include, Medicare, Special Needs, Medical Assistance, CHIP, and behavioral health coverage, as well as employee assistance, and workers’ compensation products that are offered nationally through Workpartners.
As part of the UPMC integrated health care delivery system, UPMC Health Plan is committed to providing its members access to better health, more financial security, and the peace of mind they deserve. UPMC Health Plan partners with UPMC and community network providers to produce a combination of knowledge and expertise that provides the highest quality care at the most affordable price.
“Population health combines analytics, operations, and informatics in disciplined pursuit of putting health within equal reach of all,” said Ellen Beckjord PhD, MPH, Associate Vice President Population Health and Clinical Transformation at UPMC Health Plan. “Population health is at the heart of everything we do at UPMC Health Plan, and I’m very excited to learn from and contribute to the initiatives being led by PHA.“
“I am pleased to welcome UPMC Health Plan as a PHA member. UPMC Health Plan has a long history as a front runner in proactive chronic care management and has continued to build on this success with an exceptional emphasis on innovation and population health management,” said Rose Maljanian, Chairman & CEO at HealthCAWS and PHA’s Chairman Emeritus. “Ellen Beckjord will join the PHA Quality & Research Steering Committee where no doubt her skill and expertise will be embraced by the PHA member community.”
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About the Population Health Alliance:
PHA represents stakeholders from across the health care ecosystem that seek to improve health outcomes, optimize medical and administrative spend, and drive affordability. Learn more at PopulationHealthAlliance.org or follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn.
About UPMC Health Plan:
Serving more than 3.9 million members, UPMC Insurance Services is owned and operated by UPMC, a world-renowned health care provider and insurer based in Pittsburgh, Pa. UPMC Insurance Services includes commercial products from UPMC Health Plan for groups as well as individuals. Commercial products also include workers’ compensation and employee assistance from nationally known Workpartners. Government products include Medicare Advantage (UPMC for Life); special needs plans for those eligible for Medicare and Medical Assistance (UPMC for Life Complete Care and UPMC Community HealthChoices); Medical Assistance (UPMC for You); and Children’s Health Insurance Program (UPMC for Kids); and Community Care Behavioral Health, one of the nation’s largest managed care behavioral health organizations. For more information, visit upmchealthplan.com.
Population Health Alliance
Brent Ling
202.737.5476
bling@populationhealthalliance.org
www.populationhealthalliance.org
3M Health Information Systems Joins the Population Health Alliance
Global leader of payment and quality methodologies joins the national professional and trade network for population health management
Washington, DC, January 13, 2021 (EIN PRESSWIRE) — Population Health Alliance (PHA), the industry’s only multi-stakeholder professional and trade association solely focused on population health, today announced that 3M Health Information Systems (3M.com/HIS) has joined the organization as a member. From computer-assisted coding to clinical documentation integrity and performance monitoring, 3M Health Information Systems’ automated and intuitive software helps providers, payers and government agencies throughout the United States and across the globe reduce costs and provide more informed care.
“3M Health Information Systems is a leader in designing outcomes-based payment and quality systems for federal, state and private payers serving the US and global clients. We are focused on equitable, transparent, rigorous payment and outcome methodologies that not only efficiently deploy resources, but also measurably improve safety, quality and health outcomes. We are delighted to the join the Population Health Alliance community and look forward to collaborating with its members and advancing population health science and policy,” said Sandeep Wadhwa, MD, MBA, Global Chief Medical Officer for 3M Health Information Systems.
“Advances in population-based health information technology are progressing in quantum leaps, leading to important strides for patients and the industry.” said Jaan Sidorov, MD, CEO and President of the PA Clinical Network and PHA’s President. “Sandeep Wadhwa remains a widely recognized global leader in this field, and his expertise will help the Population Health Alliance cement its role at the forefront of a rapidly evolving healthcare system.“
Dr Wadhwa recently hosted a panel presentation on population health management in international markets at the 2020 PHA Innovation Summit and Capitol Caucus.
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About the Population Health Alliance:
PHA represents stakeholders from across the health care ecosystem that seek to improve health outcomes, optimize medical and administrative spend, and drive affordability. Learn more at PopulationHealthAlliance.org or follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn.
About 3M Health Information Systems:
3M Health Information Systems is committed to leading the shift from volume to value-based care, creating more time to care, and eliminating revenue cycle waste. We are providing clinicians with real-time guidance and accurate documentation and closing the loop between clinical care and revenue accuracy. From outcomes performance monitoring, computer-assisted coding to clinical documentation integrity, 3M’s automated and intuitive software can help provide more informed care and reduce potentially avoidable costs. For more information, visit www.3mhiscer.com, www.3m.com/his or follow @3MHISNews on Twitter.
Population Health Alliance
Brent Ling
202.737.5476
bling@populationhealthalliance.org
www.populationhealthalliance.org
PHA Leaders’ Circle: Undercurrents in COVID-19’s Economic Impacts Favor Population Health
By: Jaan Sidorov, MD
Is the past (a new) prologue?
That’s the question population health experts should be asking as the profound economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic come into view.
Check out this well written piece in the Health Affairs Blog COVID-19 Shocks the US Health Sector. The 2020 statistics described by George Miller and colleagues are remarkable:
- This will be first year ever recorded with a decline in national health spending;
- Admissions for stroke and heart attack decreased independent of COVID-related impacts on bed availability;
- Losses from less elective and non-COVID related hospital care are accelerating hospital prices upward;
- Nursing homes are struggling with a downturn accompanied by a corresponding uptick in homecare arrangements;
- Among physician practices, pediatrics was hit the hardest with important implications for childhood immunizations;
- Pharma has come through relatively unscathed.
However, hidden between these observations are some additional nuggets of information that should be of interest to my colleagues in the population health industry:
- Healthcare spending has grown between 4.35% to 5.6% since 2014, but dropped by 20.1% in April of 2020. In contrast, during that same period, the overall U.S. economy shrank by 31.4%. In other words, U.S. healthcare costs on a relative basis will continue to gobble up more of GDP.
- Hospitals may witness a rebound in 2020 bed occupancy thanks to pent-up demand, but some leading statistics suggest a lingering reduction in admissions that could carry over to 2021. As we heard at the 2020 PHA Innovation Summit and Capitol Caucus, public and private payers as well as investors are paying attention.
- As patient volumes dropped, physician interest in alternative payment arrangements has grown. As a result, provider acceptance of value-based care contracting is poised to go to the next level.
What could this mean for the population health management professionals leading at payers, providers, partners, and solutions companies across the country? While Casey Stengel’s caution about making predictions, especially the future, is apt, some personal expectations are:
- Rising hospital costs and a greater share of employer and government budgets in the face of an economic recovery will accelerate interest in healthcare alternatives. The “boat” of population health – even if it has a short-term cost – will rise as a result of the tide of insurer and investor interest in cost-effective solutions.
- Flagging acceptance of traditional inpatient care will be replaced by growing consumer interest in alternative sites of care. Population health, thanks to its success in delivering care that can be adapted to location or level of service restrictions, will accelerate this transition.
- If growing value-based payment arrangement contracting terms are the prose, then population health management is the poetry. During the Population Health Alliance’s Forum and Summit meetings this year, we heard about the innovative art and science of supporting high-value care for patients and populations. Now that the physician community has growing interest in the topic, we can expect insurers to gain traction with this in their provider contracts. Let this be the call for the population health community to stand ready to help all payers and providers succeed in their goals.
Make no mistake: 2020 has been a terrible year. As we continue to dig out from the pandemic, cost trends, shifts to home care and interest in alternative payment models were already present. It looks like those trends will only accelerate population health in 2021.
Jaan Sidorov, MD is the CEO & President at the PA Clinical Network, he is also President of the Population Health Alliance.
Celebrating Veterans – PHA Forum20 Closing Keynote by David Shulkin
In honor of Veterans Day 2020, PHA is sharing the inspiring Closing Keynote Presentation from last month’s PHA Forum20 by David Shulkin, MD the Ninth Secretary of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
On October 8th, Secretary Shulkin presented “Deploying Population Health Management Strategies in Complex Health Systems: Lessons from the Department of Veterans Affairs” to the audience of the PHA Forum20, one of PHA’s two virtual conferences held last month. In celebration of Veterans Day, please enjoy viewing this presentation below for free for the next 24 hours.
This video was only be available through November 12th, 2020.
To view the archive of the entire PHA Forum20 along with the Population Health Colloquium, visit populationhealthcolloquium.com. For $195 you will receive six months of archived Internet access to both events, available 24/7.
PHA celebrates our country’s Veterans, their family members, and all who care for their health. Thank you for your service.
NOVA Scripts Central Joins the Population Health Alliance
Regional charitable pharmacy expands its national leadership voice as advocates for the uninsured
Washington, DC, November 05, 2020 (EIN PRESSWIRE) — Population Health Alliance (PHA), the industry’s only multi-stakeholder professional and trade association solely focused on population health, today announced that NOVA Scripts Central (NSC) has joined the organization as a new member. NSC is a long time provider of quality integrated pharmaceutical care and medication access to the low-income uninsured children and adults of Northern Virginia, bringing life-saving medications that treat chronic conditions within reach for thousands of patients.
NSC’s multi-branched population health approach combines medication access to the uninsured, a tool to help providers navigate Medicaid prescription drug coverage, a proactive immunization initiative, community health and wellness education, and a database of community support services called NOVA Scripts Compass.
“We are excited to welcome NOVA Scripts Central to the PHA community as a new member,” said Brent Ling, Executive Director at PHA. “Their team is innovative and population-focused with a wealth of experience in deep community-engagement while also creating and fine-tuning provider-facing tools. Under Dr Donney John’s leadership they are passionate advocates for the uninsured in population health management and we look forward to their unique contributions to our field as new members.”
Donney John, PharmD, Executive Director at NOVA Scripts Central added, “We are excited for the opportunity to work with fellow alliance members on developing strategies to address the population health needs of the uninsured health safety net patients around the country. This opportunity will allow us to continue to grow our reach as well as allow us to improve the lives of countless more Americans.”
NSC recently announced a new partnership with Honeybee Health that will enable them to expand offering of affordable prescription medications to a wider range of people outside their patient base.
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About the Population Health Alliance:
PHA represents stakeholders from across the health care ecosystem that seek to improve health outcomes, optimize medical and administrative spend, and drive affordability. Learn more at PopulationHealthAlliance.org or follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn.
About NOVA Scripts Central:
Established in 2006, NOVA Scripts Central’s mission is to provide quality integrated pharmaceutical care and medication access to the low-income uninsured children and adults of Northern Virginia. They are founded on the belief that all individuals should have access to quality healthcare regardless of where the care is being delivered. To stay in the know about NOVA Scripts Central follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn or visit NOVAScriptsCentral.org
Population Health Alliance
Brent Ling
202.737.5476
bling@populationhealthalliance.org
www.populationhealthalliance.org
PHA Calls on Congress to Pass Pandemic Relief for Charities
On September 29th, PHA sent the below letter to congressional leadership. The letter raises the important work that charitable organizations do to improve health and wellbeing, and it lays out several urgent actions Congress should take to provide pandemic-related relief to these institutions. The specialized services delivered by charitable organizations play a critical role in population health management strategies across the country. By providing relief, Congress can help ensure these charities will continue to be there for those who count on their existence.
PHA encourages our members and the entire population health management field to forward this letter onto their representatives in Congress.
eQHealth Solutions Chief Strategy and Growth Officer Mayur Yermaneni Elected to Population Health Alliance Board of Directors
Washington, DC, September 17, 2020 (EIN PRESSWIRE) — eQHealth Solutions, a leading Population Health technology and services company and the and the developer of the first and only CMS-Certified Care Management technology, today announced that Chief Strategy and Growth Officer Mayur Yermaneni has been appointed to the Population Health Alliance (PHA) Board of Directors.
PHA, the healthcare industry’s only multi-stakeholder professional and trade association solely focused on population health management, represents organizations across the healthcare ecosystem (e.g. health systems, health plans, employer solutions, academia, biopharma and technology companies) that seek to improve health outcomes, optimize the consumer and provider experience, and drive affordability.
“On behalf of the PHA community, I am excited to welcome Mayur to our Board of Directors and I congratulate him on being elected to an important position in our industry.” said Jaan Sidorov, CEO & President at the PA Clinical Network and President of the Population Health Alliance. “His demonstrated leadership in the field of population health management at eQHealth Solutions is evident in their achievements and his expertise on strategic growth will be an important voice in service to the professionals in our field.” added Sidorov.
Having over 20 years of experience in the public and private health services industry, Mayur Yermaneni is responsible for the vision and strategic direction of eQHealth Solutions, Furthermore, he is driving and leading the continued development and innovation of eQHealth’s technology and service solutions. As chief strategy and growth officer, he led the growth of eQHealth Solutions from $15m to approximately $50m in revenue and expanded its footprint from 8 states to all 50 states. A notable highlight of his career, Yermaneni led the acquisition of a key contract with the state of Vermont resulting in eQHealth achieving the first CMS-certified care management system in the United States.
“I am honored to be elected to this esteemed group of long-time leaders and experts in population health management on the PHA Board of Directors. When we are working at our best, population health is an art of aligning multiple stakeholders to cohesively and collaboratively improve our members’ lives, thousands or millions at a time. As the national professional and trade home for population health management, I look forward to supporting the thousands of dedicated and talented individuals working in plans, agencies, delivery systems, and other supporting organizations in our collective pursuit of excellence in population health management,” said Yermaneni.
Yermaneni earned a MBA from Kellogg School of Business and M.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Akron.
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About eQHealth Solutions
eQHealth Solutions is a 360-degree population health management technology and services provider that offers comprehensive utilization management, care management, business intelligence and healthcare analytics and total population health management technology and services that touch millions of lives annually throughout the nation. eQHealth’s high-tech and human-touch approach includes innovative technology solutions and services focused on optimal member health outcomes while reducing costs. eQHealth serves a variety of entities including government and commercial healthcare payers, third-party administrators, and self-insured employer groups. Learn more at www.eqhs.com or follow them on LinkedIN and Twitter.
About the Population Health Alliance:
PHA represents stakeholders from across the health care ecosystem that seek to improve health outcomes, optimize medical and administrative spend, and drive affordability. Learn more at PopulationHealthAlliance.org or follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn.
Population Health Alliance
Brent Ling
202.737.5476
bling@populationhealthalliance.org
www.populationhealthalliance.org
PHA Leaders’ Circle: Improving Coordinated Care During COVID-19 and Beyond
By: Sean Mullins, COO, Olio
September 16, 2020
Olio is a software solution that makes it simple for population health teams and post-acute provider networks to actively engage with one another about each patient’s care. The pandemic has highlighted barriers and floodlit opportunities on caring for our vulnerable populations. It also has proven just how important using a digital infrastructure can improve quality of care and reduce cost.
Meeting the healthcare needs of patients requires multiple organizations, people and resources throughout the patient journey. As the patient moves through the system, simple, accessible and precise communication among care teams has the power to improve quality patient care.
Healthcare navigation for providers and patients, however, has always been a barrier to potential sophisticated population health management interventions. The pandemic forced providers to adopt technology quicker and revealed there are ways to adopt technology and support clinicians in the business of healthcare. In the week ending April 18, 2020, almost 1.3 million beneficiaries of Medicare or Medicaid received telehealth services compared to just 11,000 in the week ending March 7, 2020, according to current claims data — an increase of more than 11,718% in just a month and a half.
Historically, providers and patients slowly and reluctantly have adopted technology and telehealth. Some of the barriers to use include reimbursement criteria, regulations, cost and concern over the experience. During this national emergency, special exceptions are underway related to both privacy and reimbursement. Widespread use during an exceptional time may lead to ongoing adoption when life returns to normal – whatever that might look like.
Coordinating Care for Acute Care Patients
Telehealth works for non-acute scenarios and provides follow-up opportunities once acute patients return home. Yet 26.3% of patients discharged from hospitals require institutional post-acute care, including skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs). With the pandemic, it is estimated that approximately 24 million Americans could require hospitalization and/or intensive care for more than six months due to the pandemic. Estimates project at least 700,000 patients may require inpatient short-stay rehabilitative care and 10 million more may need outpatient rehabilitative services.
The journey to better outcomes requires optimal communication amongst hospitals, post-acute care facilities, patients and their families. Deaconess Health System, a premier provider of healthcare services in 26 counties across three states, has been at the forefront of innovation. For the third year in a row, they have been ranked by the CMS as a top 5 performing ACO in the country.
Deaconess has seen success, in part, by using a software solution that enables their care teams to track and guide their patients as they transition to post-acute care. This has supported improved patient outcomes within their value-based care population health strategy. They began using the software prior to COVID-19, and it served as a vital platform to improve patient care coordination during the pandemic.
“Within all our community hospitals in the region, we can connect through the Olio software — especially those we either did not have a relationship with before or that we weren’t able to connect with via EMR [electronic medical records],” says Shelly Evans, the former Manager of Post-Acute Services for Deaconess Health System. “We’ve been able to use Olio during the COVID pandemic for communication, and to look at COVID activity along with staffing resources because as a health system we want to help those facilities.”
Evans says the platform provides them a real-time snapshot of where that patient is in their journey, while tracking the length of stay along every level of care. “It ensures collaboration with those facilities to keep patients moving along the continuum in a very successful and timely manner,”.
Managing Escalations and Limiting Readmissions
Overseeing the discharge of hundreds of patients to post-acute facilities involves a great deal of complexity and economic burden, requiring active engagement at scale to make an impact. Managing care often includes manually tracking and monitoring patients through non-HIPAA compliant channels, and utilizing costly resources to coordinate communication between acute and post-acute providers.
“Our medical directors and nurse practitioners have been very receptive to the new platform, because they know exactly where our patients are, where they are in that journey, and provide the ability to communicate,” Evans says.
She shares that various electronic health record systems result in a gap in the care process as there is no conduit of communication between the hospital and the skilled nursing facilities when utilizing different systems. Deaconess uses Olio to communicate with the facility staff, ask questions, share patient records and monitor daily progress, resulting in the ability to track and successfully manage patients.
“You can send a note back and forth to the staff of another facility and talk directly with nurses, all HIPAA protected,” says Jaime Redman, Lead Nurse Practitioner for the Accountable Care Organization program at Deaconess. “We can access care quickly through a provider without triggering a nuisance. For the provider, they have to manually escalate something and Olio is programmed in a way that’s good for providers. There are not a lot of nuisance calls — only when they need you for something urgently.”
Supporting Coordinated Care in Real-Time
Healthcare workers’ efforts before, during and after the pandemic elevate them to hero status. Communication technology earns the title of supporting sidekick as providers embrace innovations to navigate new pandemic challenges. Telehealth and Olio, amongst other solutions, provide easy-to-use, real-time support for the best possible patient outcome and provider experiences
“Direct communication with the staff at the facilities is huge,” Redman adds. “We’re able to communicate with the nurse about what’s going on without a phone conversation. A lot of times we’re in the middle of meetings. We can communicate and not interrupt the meeting, place orders, go ahead and take care of this, and provide real-time solutions to real-time problems.”
Transcendent Healthcare of Owensville, LLC, a privately owned and operated Skilled Nursing Facility, receives referrals from Deaconess. The facility strives for innovative efforts when caring for lives. With the onset of COVID, communication with the hospital proved even more critical when providing patient updates,ensuring appropriate care, and managing patients in place.
Transcendent not only used Olio to get in touch more quickly with the hospital, but to schedule and conduct visits with the hospital through telehealth. “Olio’s program to improve communication in post-acute care measurably improved resident outcomes for us on a number of occasions and was pivotal in growing our relationship with Deaconess Care Integration,” says Tom O’Niones, Transcendent’s Owner and President.
“Our goal each day is to ensure resident health, safety and satisfaction,” O’Niones says. “As of 2020, and particularly during restrictions associated with the current pandemic, utilizing Olio as a tool enhanced our success plan. The speed by which we can access Deaconess providers to discuss crucial issues for our residents, with telehealth consults, is invaluable. We utilized Olio’s escalation feature multiple times with rapid response. We are certain this has improved coordination of care and likely helped save lives.”
Sean Mullins is the Chief Operating Officer at Olio, he is a member of PHA’s Government Affairs Committee
Vitality Joins the Population Health Alliance
One of the largest wellness companies in the world joins the national trade association dedicated to improved outcomes, reduced cost, and improved satisfaction through population health management strategies
Washington, DC, September 15, 2020 (benzinga.com) — Population Health Alliance (PHA), the industry’s only multi-stakeholder professional and trade association solely focused on population health, today announced that Vitality has joined the organization as a new member. A global health and wellness company committed to making people healthier, Vitality is built on more than 20 years of experience with 20 million participants worldwide and more than 1 million in the U.S. alone.
By blending smart tech, data, incentives and behavioral science, Vitality inspires healthy behavioral changes in individuals and organizations. The organization supports and partners with a variety of stakeholders including employers, health plans, brokers and insurers.
“The PHA community will benefit from the inclusion of Vitality and our members will welcome their forward-thinking team,” said Jaan Sidorov MD, President & CEO of the PA Clinical Network and President of the Population Health Alliance. “Our membership is committed to rapidly expanding digital technologies that help advance health outcomes, and in particular those that work under value-based and shared-savings arrangements. We look forward to working with the Vitality team to help population health managers across the country excel in their efforts.”
Lauren Prorok, Vice President, General Counsel at Vitality added, “Given the health and economic challenges organizations currently face, it’s more critical than ever that we work together across industries to identify and implement solutions that improve the health and wellness of our workforce and communities. We look forward to engaging with PHA stakeholders to play an active role in these efforts.”
Vitality was recently awarded Efma-Accenture Global Innovation in Insurance awards for its pioneering shared-value business model, which has been scaled globally to 25 markets with over 20 million members.
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About the Population Health Alliance:
PHA represents stakeholders from across the health care ecosystem that seek to improve health outcomes, optimize medical and administrative spend, and drive affordability. Learn more at PopulationHealthAlliance.org or follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn.
Population Health Alliance
Brent Ling
202.737.5476
bling@populationhealthalliance.org
www.populationhealthalliance.org
Ms. Polak is a senior director based in Washington, D.C. In her role, she provides policy counsel and analysis to clients with matters involving regu-lations, legislation, and business implications. Anne Marie’s experience includes developing strategic messages and policy positions for Capitol Hill, administration, trade associations, and corporate audiences. Prior to joining Leavitt Partners, Anne Marie was a vice president for Faegre BD Consulting in the firm’s health and biosciences group. She also spent five years with the Podesta Group in Washington, D.C., while completing her law degree in the evenings at the George Mason University School of Law, graduating cum laude in 2010. Anne Marie also worked in the government and legal affairs office of Novo Nordisk in Washington, D.C., and as a congressional aide to Rep. Michael Ferguson of New Jersey.
Dr. Fabius has recently returned to his start up. HealthNEXT, a company dedicated to the development of organizational cultures of health — after serving as Chief Medical Officer of Truven Health Analytics (formerly the healthcare business of Thomson Reuters), the world’s leading source of intelligent information for business and professionals. In this capacity he is charged with developing and deepening relationships with customers, advising on product development, and providing counsel to the leadership on business strategy and medical issues. Formerly, Dr. Fabius served as strategic advisor to the President of Walgreens Health & Wellness Division. This organization will coordinate over 1,000 workplace health centers and 10,000 pharmacies, many with retail clinics, into a seamless primary care network across the country within the next five years. In the not too distant future, it will be possible to offer large employers medical and fitness services on-site as well as episodic illness care, health coaching and disease management monitoring at the employee’s nearest Walgreens pharmacy.
Mr. Buettner is an explorer, National Geographic Fellow, award-winning journalist and producer, and a New York Timesbestselling author. He discovered the five places in the world—dubbed Blue Zones—where people live the longest, healthiest lives. His articles about these places in The New York Times Magazine and National Geographic are two of the most popular for both publications.
Ms. Cooney provides strategic direction for the Centers three Pillars of Population Health – Clinical to Community Connections, Health Equity and the Social Determinants of Health, and Public Health Data Analytics and Informatics. Mary Ann previously worked for 14 years at the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services where she was Deputy Commissioner for the Department and Director of Public Health.
Mr. Scully is a General Partner in the Healthcare Group, having joined WCAS in 2004. Before joining WCAS, he was the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for three years and the President and CEO of the Federation of American Hospitals for six years. He also served as the Deputy Assistant to the President and as the Associate Director of OMB under President GHW Bush from 1989 to 1993, and has practiced law at Alston and Bird; Patton Boggs; and Akin, Gump, Strauss Hauer and Feld. He is a Principal at the Lincoln Policy Group.
Dr. Don Wright has served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health and Director of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) since January 2012. In this capacity, he leads coordination and policy development for public health and prevention activities within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He is also currently the acting Executive Director of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition.
Dr. Sidorov is a board-certified in general internal medicine physician with more than 25 years of experience in primary care, inpatient care, medical education and evidence-based practice. Jaan believes physician leadership throughout the continuum of care is the bedrock of value-based care delivery. He received his medical degree from Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, and completed his internship and residency at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Hanover, New Hampshire. Jaan also served as a Chief Resident at Reading Hospital in Reading, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Ostrovsky is a practicing physician, social entrepreneur, and health policy expert who specializes in human-centered design, lean manage-ment, quality improvement, population health, and digital health. Dr. Ostrovsky was most recently the Chief Medical Officer for the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS), the nation’s largest insurer covering over 74 million people, annually.
Dr. Choice is vice president and medical director for physical medicine services at American Specialty Health (ASH). Dr. Choice oversees the Rehabilitation Services Clinical Quality Evaluation program and leads the content development, training and clinical quality processes for ASH’s musculoskeletal health and pain management products.
Ms. Forte is responsible for leading Tufts Health Public Plans expansion efforts. Prior to her current position, she was vice president of care management for all Public Plans members.
As Director of Strategic Initiatives, Ms. Bowman oversees new social needs intervention initiatives among our clinical partners — including program design, resource database build-outs, and integration of Health Leads’ signature technology, Reach. Elise brings 10 years of direct service experience to her role, having previously served as a Health Leads program manager, a case manager for adults struggling with mental illness and homelessness, and in developing parent engagement initiatives in public education settings.
Mr. Johnson leads the Sage Consulting’s work for a number of public sector, corporate, non-profit and multi-employer clients. David brings particular expertise in evidence-based workplace wellness programs and leveraging Behavioral Economics principles in Human Resources Management. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychology at Towson University.
Dr. Wadhwa is a leader in building population health programs for vulnerable populations. He serves as the senior vice president of market innovation and is the chief health officer for Solera Health where he is focused on scaling the Diabetes Prevention Program as well as health-related, social support interventions. Previously, Sandeep held population health leadership positions with 3M and McKesson. He also served as the State Medicaid Director for Colorado under its former Governor. While there, he oversaw a $4 billion program and led the effort to implement an accountable care collaborative. Sandeep also serves on the board of Reinvestment Fund, a $1 billion non-profit, financial institute devoted to revitalizing low-income neighborhoods. Sandeep continues to see patients at the Seniors Clinic at the University of Colorado Hospital where he serves as associate clinical professor in the division of Geriatric Medicine.
Focused on the intersection of information technology, informatics, clinical medicine and innovation, Dr. Jain is VP and Chief Health Informatics Officer at IBM Watson Health. He was Co-Founder, Senior VP and Chief Medical Officer of Explorys, Inc. formed in 2009 based on innovations that he developed while at the Cleveland Clinic. In April 2015, Explorys was acquired by IBM as an integral component of the newly formed Watson Health business unit. In 2017, he was appointed by Congress to the Federal Health IT Advisory Committee established by the 21st Century Cures Act.
Ms. Maljanian is an accomplished senior executive with more than 25 years of experience in the health care industry. Rose’s leadership experience
John Haughton MD, MS