Value is a Bipartisan Standard

It would appear that Democrats and Republicans can’t agree on anything if you are listening to the conversations or sound bites. In the recent HPN article, Amidst political turmoil, value is a bipartisan standard, Karen Conway finds there is something that both parties in Washington do agree on – better quality healthcare at a lower cost, which at a high level is the definition of value.

When you consider legislation passed in recent years, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) and the 21^st Century Cures Act, it is clear that there is bipartisan support for better quality care at a lower cost regardless of the battle over ACA.

The passage of MACRA in April of 2015 began a shift toward value-based healthcare by incentivizing payment for doctors and clinicians who work together to deliver high-quality and cost efficient care. Then in December of 2016 Congress voted in favor of the 21^st Century Cures Act providing cancer research funding and programs to address mental illness and opioid abuse while paving the way for faster approval of drugs and medical devices. Both pieces of legislation aim to deliver greater value to the patient.

If action truly speaks louder than words, then it would seem that politicians do agree on one thing, value.