Health Care Payment Learning and Action Network debuts

Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell -- joined by President Obama, members of Congress, insurers, business leaders and consumers -- kicked off the Health Care Payment Learning and Action Network on Wednesday at a White House meeting.

By adopting alternative Medicare fee-for-service payment models through their own aligned work, the network aims to help accelerate the transformation of the nation’s health care delivery system to one that has better care, smarter spending and healthier people. Earlier this year, Burwell said her goal was to tie 30 percent of payments to quality and value through alternative payment models by 2016, boosting that to 50 percent by 2018.

“It is in our common interest to build a health care system that delivers better care, spends our health care dollars more wisely and results in healthier people,” Burwell said. “When government and business work together, we can all benefit. Patients can get the right care at the right time, doctors can achieve the best ideals of their profession, and health care can be more affordable for individuals and companies.”

More than 2,800 insurers, employers, states, consumer groups, consumers and other partners have registered to join the network.