Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative Reaction to CMS Head Berwick's Launch of Initiatives That Mobilize Advanced Primary Care

Collaboration of public agency with private health care stakeholders will catalyze local projects

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative welcomed the announcement today by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Don Berwick that eight states have been selected as pilot sites for an initiative that will allow Medicare to join Medicaid and private insurers in state-based efforts to improve the way health care is delivered. These advanced primary care model sites were selected for their potential to improve health care value, enhance patient care and give primary care providers better information about their patients.

Berwick also announced the launch of the new CMS Innovation Center, created under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to test new payment methods in demonstration projects via new health care delivery models that emphasize primary care. Over the next 90 days, Berwick said the Innovation Center will convene and listen to external stakeholders across the health care spectrum—providers, purchasers and community health care transformation leaders—to gain their input about local initiatives. The Innovation Center will focus on these new models of care, such as the patient centered medical home and accountable care organizations, to test their impact on both quality and the success of new payment models.

"The Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative supports and applauds Dr. Berwick's affirmation that primary care is the foundation for new models of care that can improve health care delivery and provide better value for the health care dollar," said Edwina Rogers, executive director of the PCPCC. "Over the past six months, the PCPCC has convened thought leaders and, with like-minded partners, will soon be releasing key strategic imperatives aligned with the innovative projects discussed today."

"We agree with the thrust of today's announcement that these new models of care should emphasize value-driving elements of advanced primary care—enhanced access to care, better care coordination, use of health information technology to support care transformation and payment models that reward coordinated care," she continued. "This announcement from CMS signals that collaboration among both private and public stakeholders is not only possible, it is rapidly being operationalized to achieve better care for individuals, better health for the community, and lower or control costs."

The PCPCC is a coalition of more than 700 organizations representing the nation's business leaders, consumers, primary care physicians and other health care stakeholders with a shared goal to advance the patient centered medical home.

About the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative

The Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative is a coalition of more than 700 major employers, consumer groups, organizations representing primary care physicians, and other stakeholders who have joined to advance the patient centered medical home. The Collaborative believes that, if implemented, the patient centered medical home will improve the health of patients and the health care delivery system. For more information on the patient centered medical home and a complete list of the PCPCC members, please visit http://www.pcpcc.net/.

SOURCE The Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative