UnitedHealth pushing new bundled payment initiatives

UnitedHealth Group has announced plans to expand its work with physicians, health systems and CMS in working with bundled payments in fee-for-service Medicare, including the new Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced program.

In a release, UnitedHealth said it has $64 billion in reimbursements to providers annually tied to “a variety of value-based care arrangements.” Managing bundled payments for joint replacements require plenty of coordination between the convener and the whole spectrum of providers involved in the entire episode of care, which UnitedHealth said it can help facilitate with its technology, data and analytics capabilities.

“UnitedHealth Group’s extensive experience using data and technology to help coordinate care and improve health outcomes positions the company as a strong partner for care providers participating in bundled payment programs,” the company said. “This form of value-based care is a benefit both for the people needing treatment and the care providers delivering it, and UnitedHealth Group is committed to finding even more ways to expand its use.”

Providers have until March 12 to apply for BCPI Advanced, despite calls from the American Hospital Association that its members needed more time and information to decide whether to participate. The model will qualify clinicians for the 5 percent bonus as an Advanced Alternative Payment Model under the Quality Payment Program for 2019.

While fee-for-service’s share of healthcare payments has been shrinking, physician have been skeptical of these new models.

The UnitedHealth announcement focused solely on Medicare bundles. Commercial insurers have been slower to adopt these models, as many payers have been waiting to see additional years’ worth of results from the Medicare programs before jumping in themselves.