First Steps in Engaging Employers in Innovative Payment Strategies

Since 2010, The Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality (WCHQ)—a multi-stakeholder alliance working to improve quality—and the Partnership for Healthcare Payment Reform (PHPR) have worked with other organizations in Wisconsin to support providers and health plans in experimenting with innovative payment models. As part of that work, PHPR created two pilot projects: a bundled payment for total knee replacement and a shared savings project for adults living with diabetes.  However, uptake of the new bundled payment pilot and shared savings projects has been slower than expected. This prompted the question: What keeps employers from participating in initiatives that are designed to deliver better value for their health care investments?

 

Although there is no one-size-fits all solution, multi-stakeholder organizations can take several steps to communicate more effectively and reach receptive employers about these initiatives:

1. Develop a compelling value proposition for payment and purchasing reform initiatives

2. Meet employers where they are

3. Anticipate and address the impact on employees

4. Cast a wide net to a range of employers

5. Leverage existing channels, such as brokers, consultants, and employer coalitions

 

To read more about how to effectively engage employers on payment reform based on WCHQ’s experiences, click here.