Sessions on Technology, MACRA Draw Managed Care Readers

The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®) hosts 4 major conferences during the year. Fall and spring meetings of the ACO & Emerging Healthcare Delivery Coalition® bring together stakeholders and experts to discuss new payment reform models. Patient-Centered Oncology Care® (PCOC), which takes place the second week of November, and Patient-Centered Diabetes Care® (PCDC), in the first week of April, convene stakeholders to discuss new payment and disease management approaches in cancer and in diabetes and obesity.

In the past year, AJMC® has provided live coverage at its meetings throughout 2016, bringing highlights of sessions to a wider audience. The 5 most-read articles from conferences hosted by AJMC® are:

5. Can ACO Partners Help Physicians Meet the New MACRA Requirements? (Fall ACO Coalition). Coverage from this panel discussion featured an expert from CMS outlining the challenge of helping small providers meet the requirements of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA), which takes effect January 1, 2017. Practices that have, until now, not taken part in alternate payment models may rely on help from electronic health record (EHR) vendors for help.

4. Deploying Big Data Into Better Diabetes Care (PCDC). Coverage of keynote speaker Lonny Reisman, MD, discussed how the silos of medical information must be harnessed for better decision-making. “Machine learning” could be a new, fast, and less expensive way to learn what works, compared with expensive clinical trials.

3. MACRA Changes Have Far-Reaching Implications for Providers (Fall ACO Coalition). Healthcare attorney James M. Daniel, Jr, JD, MBA, outlined the challenge providers have in making financial decisions under new payment models: does investment in practices make sense if reimbursement cuts could follow? Fortunately, late changes to the final MACRA rule eased the potential uncertainty on small practices, especially in the early going.

2. Overcoming Stigma Essential to Improving Payer Coverage for Obesity (PCDC). The 2016 meeting included the conference’s first session on payer coverage for obesity, with speakers tracing the history of stigma, not only from payers but also from some physicians. While things are improving, there’s more to be done to get care for all who need it, experts said.

1. How Technology Can Bring Diabetes Prevention to the Masses (PCDC). The 2016 meeting took place a few weeks after HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell unveiled plans for Medicare to cover the National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP). A speaker from the digital DPP provider Omada Health, and panelists discussing payer coverage for telehealth, discussed how technology could fill the gaps between appointments for persons with diabetes, when sticking with a health plan is most difficult.

Learn more about our upcoming 2017 conferences, including Patient-Centered Diabetes Care, set for April 6-7, 2017, in Teaneck, New Jersey. Our next meeting of the ACO & Emerging Healthcare Delivery Coalition will be May 4-5, 2017, in Scottsdale, Arizona.