Rehab Select Blog

The bundled payment model is on the leading edge of the trend towards value-based healthcare, as evidenced by the increase in new bundled payment programs being implemented in today's healthcare marketplace. The goal of payment bundling is to reduce healthcare costs without compromising quality of care. Since this alternative to the traditional fee-for-service payment model is relatively new, there are still questions in the minds of many as to whether it works as well in the real world as it does on paper. So what do we know about the dollars and cents of the bundled payment model?

Orthopedic procedures, such as joint replacement, are high on the list of medical episodes that are commonly reimbursed under the bundled payment model today. As common as they are, participation in orthopedic bundles has been optional in most cases, so it is still uncharted territory for many healthcare providers. However, with the launch of the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) initiative, participation in orthopedic bundles has become mandatory for providers who deliver care to Medicare beneficiaries within the 67 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) targeted under this program.

The bundled payment model has been around for a while now and is becoming ever more common in the healthcare landscape. This offers providers who are new to this value-based payment model an advantage that the earliest adopters did not have: the opportunity to learn from the experiences of others. So, based upon that experience, what are some of the most important factors in the success of the bundled payment model?

The bundled payment model has become an increasingly popular alternative to the traditional fee-for-service payment. At the forefront of the ongoing shift towards value-based healthcare, the goal of this payment model is to reduce healthcare costs while maintaining or improving quality-of-care. Post-discharge care is one area in which, according to recent research, the bundled payment model has shown promising results in meeting those goals.

The bundled payment model has emerged as the favored alternative to the traditional fee-for-service model in the ongoing shift towards value-based healthcare reimbursement. That status, already made plain by the rapid growth of bundled payment programs offered by private payers, including healthcare systems, insurance companies and large employers, has been cemented by the growing number of bundled payment initiatives rolled out by government payers. Perhaps the most notable of these are several bundled payment initiatives undertaken by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) that bundle payments for care provided to fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries.

Much of the buzz around bundled payments has been focused on their potential for containing or reducing the overall costs of healthcare. However, as important as cost-cutting is, it is certainly not the whole story when it comes to the goals of the bundled care model. Improving the quality and efficiency of care is also a primary goal of this value-based payment model.

The bundled payment model is a relatively recent development in the healthcare industry and one that is gaining ground against the traditional fee-for-service healthcare payment model. It is designed to add value to the care process, working to contain or lower costs while maintaining or improving quality. When it comes to recognizing the beneficiaries of this payment model, payers—be they government or private ones—are the most obvious. However, bundled payment plans can also convey benefits to other parties involved in the care process, including healthcare providers and their patients.

Today's healthcare market is a swiftly changing landscape, and much of that change is related to alternative healthcare payment models. The goal of those models is to stem the tide of rising healthcare costs while continuing to provide an excellent standard of care to patients—a concept that has become widely known as "value-based healthcare." So how is this move towards value-based healthcare models panning out? Here is what you need to know about 2016 trends in healthcare payment models.

The bundled payment model is on the rise in today's healthcare marketplace, with a growing number of government and corporate payers testing new bundling plans as an alternative to the traditional fee-for-service payment model. The goal of these initiatives is to reduce the costs of healthcare while maintaining or improving the quality of care patients receive. While many healthcare providers have already had experience with this value-based payment model, many others have not. If you are one of them, chances are you have questions about bundled payments.

The bundled payment model is becoming ever more familiar in today's healthcare landscape, with these plans being implemented in growing numbers throughout the industry. Among the benefits this payment model is said to convey is cost savings as compared to the traditional fee-for-service payment model. Since these plans are fairly recent additions to the healthcare system, many payers and providers are unsure about whether or not these plans can deliver on those claims.