Letter Co-led by Rep. Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-GA) and Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA) Urges Health Insurance CEOs to Make Changes, Share Information in Support of Value-Based Care Arrangements for Maternal Health

WASHINGTON, March 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Representatives from both sides of the aisle, including members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the GOP Doctors Caucus have signed on to a Congressional letter co-led by Buddy Carter (R-GA, 01) and Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA, 44) calling for major health insurance plan CEOs to invest in value-based payment models that lead to consistent, high-quality, and affordable care for all women and their families. The letter requests direct responses from the CEO recipients that illustrate their companies' long-term plans for maternal care and payment model evaluation, commitment to transforming the reimbursement system to reward providers for delivering high-value care, and strategies for data transparency supporting successful value-based models.

In addition to Carter and Diaz Barragán, to date, signatories include Rep. Dr. Larry Bucshon, M.D. (IN-08), Rep. Diana Harshbarger (TN-01), Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-1), Rep. Jay Obernolte (CA-23), Rep. Jefferson Van Drew (NJ-02), Rep. Jen A. Kiggans (VA-02), Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Rep. Nancy Mace (SC-01), and Rep. Bruce Westerman (AR-4).

"Improving health outcomes for all patients, especially mothers, has been my mission since day one in Congress. The nation's maternal mortality crisis, which severely impacts Georgians, is alarming and preventable. It's crucial that Congress have a full picture of the steps insurance companies are taking to protect patients so that we can implement policies that give mothers the best health care outcomes possible." 

—Rep. Earl L. "Buddy" Carter (R-GA)

The U.S. Women's Health Alliance (USWHA) values the support of these representatives and stands with them on this call for collaboration and access to timely information, including claim-based data provided by health plans, enabling physicians to see where there is opportunity for improvement and to coordinate patient care more effectively.

"USWHA is committed to bringing about the examination of the role of value-based care arrangements to reward physicians who are providing high quality maternal healthcare for women leading to improve patient outcomes and spending health care dollars more efficiently. Value-based payment models are evolving in the Medicare/Medicaid space. However, many commercial plans have not made significant investments in programs designed for maternity care. Without robust and sustainable value-based models for women's health, the system will continue in fee-for-service models that reward volume over value and put women's lives at risk. We seek collaboration with health insurance plan leaders to advance systems on all fronts in support of our patients."

—Jack Feltz, MD, USWHA President

According to the Alliance for Value-Based Patient Care, Advanced Alternative Payment Models (AAPMs) that incentivize clinicians to deliver high-quality care while lowering costs to patients have lowered healthcare costs by an estimated $600 billion. Alternative payment models that are aligned across payers in their design and quality measurement will allow providers to adapt and transform their practice infrastructure, making it possible for the industry to track our nation's progress more efficiently and effectively.

About the U.S. Women's Health Alliance

The U.S. Women's Health Alliance (USWHA) is an organization representing more than 3,200 private practice OB-GYNs in 34 states and 179 congressional districts, that advocates for improving health outcomes and healthcare affordability for women through transforming our current healthcare system to one that is genuinely value-based, and correctly measures and rewards high-quality care.

USWHA's Mission: "Effectively collaborate as one unified organization of resources, knowledge, and experiences to help private practices thrive in a new healthcare environment while delivering high quality and affordable healthcare to women."

https://www.uswha.com/

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SOURCE The US Women's Health Alliance