U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL) recently offered bipartisan legislation that would revise specific regulations for advanced alternative payment arrangements to encourage more Americans to participate in Medicare Accountable Care Organizations (ACO), which are value-based health programs designed to increase the quality and coordination of care and lower costs for senior citizens.
“As we continue to battle this virus, I am committed to working with my colleagues to get this bill passed to support our communities and seniors in IL-18,” said Rep. LaHood, referring to his home-state congressional district.
Rep. LaHood on July 24 cosponsored the Value in Healthcare Act of 2020, H.R. 7791, with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) to update the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 and to amend many of the program parameters around Medicare’s Advanced Alternative Payment Models (APMs) toward increasing participation in ACOs.
“The Value in Healthcare Act is a commonsense proposal that includes substantive reforms to encourage and support greater participation by healthcare providers in ACOs, particularly in our rural communities in central and west-central Illinois,” Rep. LaHood said. “By incentivizing the use of these value-based health programs that support coordinated care between doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers, this legislation will improve healthcare access and the quality of care for our seniors, which is critical now in our fight against COVID-19.”
If enacted, H.R. 7791 would increase the percent of shared savings that beginner participants receive; modify risk adjustment to appropriate levels; remove artificial barriers to Medicare ACO program participation; ensure fair and accurate benchmarks; provide educational and technical support for the Medicare ACO program; and correct the thresholds for participation in an Advanced APM, among other provisions, according to a section-by-section bill summary provided by Rep. LaHood’s office
The legislation has been endorsed by numerous healthcare stakeholders, including the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Physicians, the Medical Group Management Association, and the National Association of ACOs, among others.