Week in DC: A great way to hear about healthcare reform

SanjayI was delighted to have the chance to hear from the Vice President of Policy and Regulatory Affairs for America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) speak during my Week In DC trip as part of Fuqua’s Health Policy Class.  I am a second year MBA student and I have a deep interest in the healthcare industry, and it was great to hear what the largest health insurance companies in the country thought about healthcare reform.

I learned that AHIP and its members are excited about payment reform and are hopeful that the shift to paying for value and quality in healthcare will continue and accelerate.  They are especially interested in forthcoming research and recommendations produced by the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI).  Insurers are much more concerned with the age and health mix of new customers buying health insurance via the newly created healthcare exchanges, rather than the total number of enrolled lives, which they think will naturally increase over time.  Outside of participating in healthcare exchanges, insurers are looking to contribute to healthcare reform through investing in new, experimental ways of delivering care such as the patient centered medical home and integrated care for Medicare and Medicaid dual eligible patients.  Insurers would also like to share information and methodologies with the government to help combat fraud, waste, and abuse.  AHIP would also like to see more reform in the area of medical liability.  Overall AHIP and its members are embracing healthcare reform and are looking for ways to contribute to expanding healthcare access and quality.