Hospitals Urge Moving Ahead on Payment Reform, but With Caution
Massachusetts hospitals share our state leaders' vision for an efficient, coordinated and collaborative healthcare delivery system that is supported by a fair and affordable payment system.
The Bay State's Special Commission on the Health Care Payment System issued recommendations setting out a conceptual model for such a new system based on a global payment model - It's a very ambitious set of recommendations that would fundamentally change the way that healthcare is organized and paid for in Massachusetts. But the report left many key questions unanswered.
Hospitals and other providers are actively working to overhaul the payment system away from fee for service in a thoughtful and responsible way. Making sure that this massive and complex issue is addressed comprehensively is the only way to ensure it will work. Successful healthcare payment reform will require the active involvement and support of all stakeholders - physicians, hospitals, insurers, policymakers, employers, and patients themselves. Everyone is going to need to contribute, and everyone is going to need to give something back in order to advance the overall effort.
Massachusetts hospitals are ready and willing to move toward fundamental reform of the payment system and to build a more integrated delivery system - including some forms of global payment. But they are not willing to do so haphazardly or by ignoring the very real, uncomfortable.5 issues that need to be hammered out. The Massachusetts Hospital Association has taken a leadership role in the payment reform effort by outlining some of the fundamental obstacles to reform's success and committing to work with all interested parties to address them. We know the legislature shares our commitment to this endeavor, and look forward to working with them to make payment reform a reality. But we must also make sure that payment reform succeeds for everyone, and for the long-term. We should build on our experiences and innovation while remembering that one size does not fit all.
Taking adequate time and care upfront to address the foundational issues collaboratively will ultimately save time and ensure lasting success.
