Marking ObamaCare milestone, Obama to launch alternative-payment push

by Jordan Fabian - 03/25/15 6:00 AM ET

President Obama will announce the start of a new initiative Wednesday to promote a major ObamaCare goal in conjunction with the fifth anniversary of the law.

The administration is launching the Healthcare Payment Learning and Action Network, an information-sharing forum to urge more healthcare providers to use alternative payments models instead of a traditional fee-for-service payment under Medicare.

{mosads}Last month, the Department of Health and Human Services set a goal to tie half of Medicare payments to alternative systems by 2018, a move the White House says will provide better care at a cheaper cost.

Obama will kick off the first meeting of the network during a speech at the White House on Wednesday to mark the fifth anniversary of the Affordable Care Act.

The network will hold meetings for state governments, healthcare providers and consumer groups to share “best practices” in working toward that goal, a White House official said.

More than 2,800 participants have already registered, according to the administration.

Groups participating are asked to set “organization-specific goals for alternative payment models” and report on progress toward achieving those benchmarks, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said in a statement.

The network will be overseen by an outside contractor, and organizations will not receive funding from the administration for participating in meetings.

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