BOSTON, June 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Dana Gelb Safran, ScD, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts' (Blue Cross) Chief Performance Measurement and Improvement Officer and Senior Vice President, Enterprise Analytics, was recently appointed by U.S. Comptroller General and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office Gene L. Dodaro to serve on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). MedPAC is a 17-person group that includes health professionals, employers, third-party payers, researchers, and representatives of consumers and the elderly and advises Congress on issues related to Medicare payment policy.

"MedPAC plays a crucial role in advising Congress on Medicare issues. I am pleased to announce these latest appointments and want to thank the many strong candidates who applied this year," Dodaro said.

Safran is an expert in performance measurement and in the design of provider payment models that use performance measurement and innovative incentive structures to deliver better health outcomes, improved quality, and reduced cost. She has been instrumental in developing and growing Blue Cross' Alternative Quality Contract (AQC), the largest commercial payment reform initiative in the country. The AQC was a model for Medicare's Pioneer and Next Generation ACO payment arrangements and has influenced the national dialog around payment reform.

"It is an honor to be chosen for this important post. I'm excited to serve, particularly at this pivotal time in our country's history with respect to Medicare payment reform," Safran said. "I look forward to working with my fellow commissioners to consider how Medicare can apply innovative payment and measurement methodologies that can significantly improve quality, outcomes, and affordability for Medicare beneficiaries nationwide."

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services are working toward having 50 percent of traditional fee-for-service Medicare providers in value-based contracts by 2018.

In addition to her expertise in measurement systems for value-based payment models, Safran has an extensive academic background and continues to contribute to the scientific literature in this area. Early in her career she worked for the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), a former Congressional office that researched policy issues related to health and technology.