NAACOS recommendations for value-based care in rural communities – a slideshow

The National Association of ACOs has published a five-page letter outlining ways to improve value-based care in underserved areas, especially rural parts of the nation.

The trade group for accountable care organizations also drafted an additional summary with recommendations about alternative payment models (APMs) for consideration by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Why the need for change?

“Safety-net providers are reimbursed differently than traditional doctors’ offices and hospitals,” with payment systems that make it challenging to participate in payment models where physicians are accountable for all patient spending and quality outcomes in a year, according to NAACOS.

“To better serve rural and underserved patients through value-based care, we need to recognize the unique payment arrangements for the providers that serve these patients,” the summary said.

Here are 10 highlights of the letter, with ideas about value-based care for federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and rural health clinics (RHCs).