Regardless of whether it is a clinically integrated network, independent practice association, or a unique funding relationship developed between a payer and a single health center, being accountable for the quality and cost of the care provided will be the determining factor for future health care delivery success. Because there are so many different ways to design a program, there are equally as many strategies to achieve the shared goals. This session will focus on three such strategies, each taking a different approach and focusing on different aspects of accountable care delivery.   

As health care continues to evolve at a rapid pace, recent events necessitate health centers devote time and resources in order to thoroughly evaluate their operations and surroundings to effectively prepare for increasing expectations and responsibilities. Building on Part 1: Operationalizing the Strategic Plan in the Face of Change and Uncertainty (PThG1), Part 2 will briefly examine the role strategic planning holds in community health centers, and then provide an introduction and overview of the Strategic Planning Toolkit developed in collaboration between NACHC and Capital Link. The toolkit is available to health centers seeking guidance and encouragement in implementing any strategic planning initiative. Whether your health center is new or mature, small or large, or rural or urban, the materials will be applicable to your efforts.

This session will introduce two new resources related to calculating and benchmarking your health center’s cost of care. The first resource focuses on presenting a methodology for calculating cost of care, including appropriately allocating direct and indirect costs to various services. The second resource presents health center cost of care trends based on UDS data for use as a benchmarking tool, providing comparative data for health centers of various sizes, in urban/rural locations, and based on comprehensiveness of care. Capital Link staff and a health center CFO will discuss the importance of using this information and data in a fee-for-service environment and as the sector transitions to a value-based reimbursement. 

New care delivery and payment models all seem to have the same key elements: a defined population, panels of people for whom health care providers are accountable, and a way to tie measures of quality and cost to those responsible. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Neatly defined panels of patients tied to specific providers are nonexistent - mostly due to people being able to seek care from whichever provider they chose, switch health insurance plans on a regular basis, and change addresses more frequently. These variables make it very challenging for a provider or organization to be responsible for these patients and more effectively manage the population and ensure everyone is getting the care appropriate for their circumstance and condition. A process called attribution is intended to resolve this issue. With its many variables, attribution is neither exact nor simple and no matter how it is designed, it has the potential to create frustration and resistance. This session will explain, in more detail, attribution and provider responsibility with an eye on understanding CMS guidelines, changes, and potential opportunities. Learn how to incorporate various components of attribution to positively influence the management of a population and why it matters more than ever.  

Community health workers (CHWs) have made important contributions to communities and health and social service systems for decades. Although interest in the CHW workforce has grown in recent years, further progress is impeded by fragmented policy development efforts, persistent lack of stakeholder understanding of CHWs, and lack of a unified voice for the workforce itself. This session will describe two prominent new and interrelated national projects addressing these barriers, and provide an update on important initiatives by federal agencies and national organizations regarding CHWs.

Now more than ever, health center advocates are using digital advocacy to connect with legislators, share news and information, and engage with supporters and patients. This session will address how health center staff can best leverage social media for effective advocacy campaigns, news and updates, event sharing, and patient and community engagement. If you are interested in bolstering your health center's presence on social media for the purposes of advocacy, this session will be beneficial. 

Recent policy changes and legislative activity, both on the federal and state levels, have drastically changed the health center funding profile. This session will attempt to quantify the financial impact of these changes. Potential changes include: the 330 funding cliff, the lack of CHIP reauthorization, changes to the health insurance rules, and state Medicaid waivers. Presenters will identify the individual elements impacted (size of grant, patient eligibility/payor mix, and other payment rules), and give participants financial precepts for evaluating their impact. They will also evaluate the impact of PPS alternative payment methodologies (APMs) throughout the country.  

This session will discuss hot topics and trends in state Medicaid policy that impact health centers and the patients they serve, including Medicaid 1115 waiver activity.

Coordinating and integrating behavioral health and substance use treatment services within primary care has been proven to be a highly effective care strategy. Health centers have long provided these services to better meet the multi-faceted needs of their patients under one roof. As federal and state policymakers have grown increasingly interested in enhancing access to these services in recent years, health centers can play a key role in informing policy conversations and system changes to enhancing patient care. This session will provide attendees with the latest policy news on behavioral health and substance use treatment services and trends across the country. Speakers will discuss ways they are engaging in policy and system changes at the federal, state, and local levels to advance integration and enhance patient care.

Speakers will provide updates on the most recent policy developments in the 340B space, including on the Hill, at HRSA, and in the field.