NACDS backs plan to speed up alternative health care payments

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores' (NACDS) board of directors joined President Barack Obama at the White House on Wednesday for the launch of the Health Care Payment Learning and Action Network.

The initiative brings stakeholders together to share their best practices that improve quality and reduce the cost of health care by speeding up adoption of alternative payment models.

“We were honored to be included in today’s event at the White House, and we look forward to working with the administration and other industry stakeholders to promote the value pharmacy and pharmacists bring to advancing patient health and a more efficient health care system,” NACDS President and CEO Steven Anderson said. “We will continue to highlight the need to ensure pharmacy is included in innovative care delivery models.”

The Health Care Payment and Learning Action Network will work with payers, providers, states and consumer groups to accelerate the adoption of alternate payment methods. Through the network, stakeholder will work together to identify, develop and implement reasonable approaches to move forward with alternative payment models that will improve quality and performance measurements.

In January, Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Sylva Burwell announced plans to increase the use of value-based payments in the Medicare system. Related to those plans, HHS set goals that tie increasing percentages of Medicare fee-for-fee payments to alternative payment models.