François de Brantes on the Direction of Value-Based Payment Models
Healthcare Innovation 8/3/2021
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) has hit the pause button and is undergoing a strategic evaluation to determine how its alternative payment models can have a transformative impact on the healthcare delivery system. In a recent interview, François de Brantes senior vice president of commercial business development at Signify Health, spoke about this critical juncture in the value-based care movement, including the start of the Direct Contracting program.
The NextGen ACO program is over, he explained, and ACOs were given a choice or going into Direct Contracting or defaulting back into the Medicare Shared Savings Program. “I do know that there were a substantial number that were really concerned about going into Direct Contracting with the existing baseline.”
One thing we’ve seen during the pandemic is the expansion of the Hospital at Home program. I asked de Brantes if this was something CMS would be likely to continue to encourage beyond the pandemic.
“It’s very difficult to do because it requires pretty significant infrastructure,” he said, “but there’s no question that for some physicians it’s a lot better and for some patients it eases the transitions back into their home. There are a lot of advantages for the individual. Anywhere we can shift the care model to being more patient-centric, and bringing the services to the patient as opposed to bringing the patient to the services, we’re doing something right.”
