Washington, DC – America’s Physician Groups (APG), along with four other national organizations, is urging Congress to allocate additional relief funds to help physicians and other healthcare providers continue fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and to support their ongoing participation in value-based payment (VBP) models.
“Many physician practices are struggling financially and desperately need additional support to keep their doors open during this COVID-19 pandemic,” said APG President and CEO Donald Crane. “Increasing assistance for health care providers in alternative payment model practices is crucial to help continue pushing our healthcare system toward value-based payment and away from the expensive fee-for-service model.”
In addition to increased relief funds, APG recommends that Congress obtain input from current VBP providers to help identify potential investment opportunities that would help increase more widespread adoption of alternative payment models. Physician practices and other providers will require additional financial support if they are expected to make necessary investments in telehealth, data sharing technologies, and enhanced care coordination.
“Allocating additional relief funds and other support is needed to create strong incentives to improve population health and quality patient care. This will help build a stronger healthcare system infrastructure which will allow us to better handle any future public health crisis,” said Crane.
The American Academy of Family Physicians, Health Care Transformation Task Force, National Association of ACOs, and Premier, Inc., joined APG in today’s letter to Congress.
Read the full letter here.
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About America’s Physician Groups
America’s Physician Groups is a not-for-profit, mission-driven association organized to assist accountable physician groups to improve the quality and value of healthcare provided to patients. America’s Physician Groups represents and supports physician groups that assume responsibility for clinically integrated, comprehensive, and coordinated healthcare on behalf of our patients. In California, APG represents over 180 physician groups across the state. Visit us at www.apg.org.
Contact: Greg Phillips, APG Director of Communications, 202-770-1901, gphillips@apg.org
