Catalyst for Payment Reform, URAC to Develop Value-Based Payment Accreditation 

Catalyst for Payment Reform (CPR), an independent, nonprofit coalition of employers and other healthcare purchasers, and accreditation organization URAC are working to develop an accreditation program for value-based payment programs that will be available in 2025.
 
Most payers have implemented some form of value-based payment for healthcare providers. These models influence payment and care delivery across broad sectors of the healthcare landscape. Currently, there are no national programs that validate whether these models meet accepted best practices.
 
“As value-based payment grows and matures, stakeholders have a shared interest in ensuring that health plans implement value-based payment programs thoughtfully and appropriately,” said Guy D’Andrea, CPR’s executive director, in a statement. “This partnership with URAC allows us to establish appropriate guidelines with the input of a variety of healthcare stakeholders.”
 
Shawn Griffin, M.D., URAC’s president and CEO, added, “URAC is proud to work with Catalyst for Payment Reform in convening experts from throughout healthcare to discuss the optimal way to identify and track the best practices in value-based care. We look forward to developing a program based on the principles that this committee endorses.”
 
As a first step in the process, CPR and URAC will develop value-based payment principles by consulting with experts and by convening a multi-stakeholder advisory committee. During the development process, the committee will invite review and comment. URAC will then use the principles to inform development of an accreditation program. Once implemented, employers and other stakeholders would be able to use the program to identify organizations that meet best practices for value-based payment.

Last fall, Healthcare Innovation spoke to URAC’s Griffin about a variety of topics, including the fact that URAC has the nation’s only accreditation program for mental health parity.