Transformative Journey to Value-Based Care Panel

CareFirst is committed to the transformative journey to value-based care and delivering on our mission during this crisis. We are partnering with hospitals and providers to offer value-based healthcare to improve quality, patient experience, equity, accessibility and affordability for those we collectively serve.

As part of this ongoing effort, CareFirst recently held a virtual event comprised of a distinguished panel of national experts, providers and health insurers to share their insights on the national movement toward value-based care, best practices for value-based implementation, and how a value-based approach benefits patients, providers and local communities.

The panel, moderated by CareFirst CEO, Brian Pieninck, included:

  • Melinda Abrams, SVP of the Commonwealth Fund's Delivery System Reform and International Health Policy Programs  
  • Len Nichols, Ph.D., Non-Resident Fellow at the Urban Institute in Washington, D.C. and Professor Emeritus at George Mason University
  • Dana Safran, Sc.D., SVP, Value-Based Care & Population Health at WELL Health, Inc.  
  • Meena Seshamani, MD, Ph.D., Vice President of Clinical Care Transformation at MedStar Health 
  • Brian Wheeler, Vice President, Provider Collaboration and Network Transformation at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield 

The 90-minute event brought nearly 200 guests – policymakers, customers, provider partners and CareFirst colleagues–together to engage in this important dialogue about the exciting shift our industry is making and why we, as part of a healthcare system, need to act now. Specific topics highlighted in the discussion included:

  • How the COVID-19 pandemic amplified the need to transition from volume to value and how these value-based arrangements can address the challenges facing the healthcare industry today and strengthen the delivery system, while improving quality, experience and affordability of care for patients.
  • Current barriers preventing the shift from volume to value.
  • Moving from process to outcome measurement as part of national quality standards and having a core set of quality metrics for value-based arrangements across the industry.  
  • Policy recommendations to transform healthcare over the next 10 years.
  • The need to take a more unified and streamlined approach in this volume to value transition, including making equity an integral part of quality measurement and outcomes.
  • What value-based care means to individuals and communities.
  • Insights regarding the push toward two-sided incentive or capitated arrangements and promising results from these existing models, such as BlueCross BlueShield Massachusetts’ Alternative Quality Contract that began in 2009.

Watch the full event to listen to the panelist's unique insights and perspectives on value-based care and how it can lead to measurable improvements for patients and communities while improving affordability both in our region and nationwide.