NextGen Healthcare’s Value-Based Care Solutions Unlock $102 Million in Medicare Savings

Garrett Schmitt

NextGen Healthcare, a leading provider of innovative, cloud-based healthcare technology solutions, today announced that its clients participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) leveraged its NextGen® Population Health solution to achieve a cumulative $102 million in total Medicare savings last year. The MSSP incentivizes hospitals, physician associations, and other healthcare facilities to form accountable…

Louisiana Physician Exec Describes Keys to MSSP ACO’s Success

Garrett Schmitt

Darrin Menard, M.D., medical director of the Louisiana Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) Enhanced ACO, recently described how his accountable care organization has evolved to become more successful in the program. Menard, a practicing family medicine physician in Scott, Louisiana, was speaking at a Primary Care Collaborative event focused on their new report, “Primary Care:…

Report: Practices in Two-Sided Risk Drove Savings in Oncology Care Model

Garrett Schmitt

Oncology practices that participated in two-sided risk in the latter half of the Oncology Care Model (OCM) were the main driver of payment reductions in the model, according to an evaluation prepared for the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation. In February 2015, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) invited oncology physician group…

Carle Health and Lumeris Partner to Improve Patient Outcomes in Value-Based Care in Central Illinois

Garrett Schmitt

Carle Health, a vertically integrated health system, and Lumeris, a leading value-based care enablement company, today announced a strategic partnership to improve healthcare delivery and patient outcomes through value-based care for communities in Central Illinois. The partnership will transform care delivery for Medicare populations by integrating Lumeris’ comprehensive technology solutions and population health management tools…

Interwell Health Announces Launch of Acumen Rounder to Empower Nephrologists in the Transition to Value-Based Kidney Care

Garrett Schmitt

Interwell Health, a value-based kidney care management company, is proud to announce the launch of Acumen Rounder, the first and only nephrology rounding application that tightly integrates with Epic. The application works seamlessly with Acumen Epic Connect, the most adopted nephrology-specific electronic health record (EHR). Acumen Rounder supports nephrologists and care teams in managing patient…

Trump to Nominate Mehmet Oz To Be CMS Administrator

Garrett Schmitt

On Tuesday, Nov. 19, President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would nominate Mehmet Oz, M.D., to be the next Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). POLITICO’s Ben Leonard wrote on Tuesday afternoon that “President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Mehmet Oz, the celebrity physician and TV personality known as Dr. Oz, to…

HCPLAN Survey Data Finds Progress on Alternative Payment Models

Garrett Schmitt

Health insurance plans are seeing continued growth in the adoption of value-based care arrangements and shared risk arrangements, according to the 2024 annual survey by the Health Care Payment Learning & Action Network (HCPLAN). The HCPLAN is a group of public and private healthcare leaders dedicated to providing thought leadership, strategic direction, and ongoing support…

Top 5 Traits of High-Performing ACOs— and 5 Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Garrett Schmitt

The recent CMS results for the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) showed record-breaking savings—over $2.1 billion in 2023. Yet, not all ACOs achieved these gains. So, what separates the high performers from those that struggle to meet savings goals? The answer lies in strategic focus, effective coordination, and the intelligent use of data. This blog…

Dallas Nephrology Associates is Pioneering Value-Based Care, Transforming Kidney Disease Management

Garrett Schmitt

Dallas Nephrology Associates (DNA), the largest nephrology practice in Texas, has received national recognition for a revolutionary new practice model that has improved patient care and could save payors millions of dollars. DNA has participated in several projects with Medicare that has already resulted in millions of dollars in savings to the agency. Nephrology is…

HANYS President: This Is a Crucial Moment for the Future of Healthcare

Garrett Schmitt

At a time of major change and great uncertainty in U.S. healthcare, the leaders of state hospital associations are doing everything possible not only to ensure the survival of the hospitals and health systems that are their members, but also to work to create and strengthen their bonds with their communities. One of those associations…