Doug Hastings, a Member of the Firm in the Washington, DC office, was quoted in BNA's Health Care Daily Report on how accountable care organizations (ACOs) can improve the value of health care.
Hastings made the remarks at the America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) 2010 National Policy Forum, where he presented a talk titled, "Can Accountable Care Organizations Improve the Value of Health Care by Solving the Cost and Quality Conundrum?"
BNA reported on the event in an article headlined, "Panelists Urge Private Sector Participation In Developing Accountable Care Organizations."
Hastings said health care reform legislation before Congress is a step toward better delivery and payment systems through the development of accountable care organizations, but providers and payers must lead the way in encouraging reforms. Both the House and Senate reform bills would recognize ACOs, provider-based organizations that would offer integrated care and share savings payments among the providers.
Hastings said ACOs can improve quality and generate savings but that providers and payers need to help navigate the transition from the current fee-for-service system and fuller development of ACOs.
"Failure to do so, to me, puts more onus on the government to come in and regulate prices of both payers and providers and potentially really micromanage," he said. He urged AHIP to develop its own pilot programs to show how to make the transition from a fee-for-service system.
