Here is the biggest agenda for the AAFP this year:
The AAFP advocates to the four largest health plans for family physicians. The AAFP private payer advocacy agenda includes but is not limited to:
1. Holding private payers accountable for a commitment to increase investment in primary care.
2. The need for payers to support practices in value-based payment contracts.
3. Advocating for reduced or eliminated prior authorizations.
4. The need for administrative simplification by advocating for the adoption of the Core Quality Measures Collaborative’s measure sets.
That’s not all. Don’t forget this little diddy:
Payer Acceptance of Supplemental Data
It is the policy of the AAFP that health plans should provide a mechanism for physicians in value-based contracts to submit supplemental data for all lines of business. The Academy tracks what payers accept supplemental data for the top five payers with whom the AAFP has relationships.
The AAFP developed model guidance which states, “In addition to receiving HEDIS data via claims and encounters, [payer] should also accept submission of supplemental data to satisfy HEDIS measures and close gaps in care in value-based contracts.” The consequences of a health plan’s inability to accept and record data may result in physicians not receiving payment otherwise earned under a value-based contract.
As far as the topic of Direct Primary Care, the AAFP hasn’t really updated anything in years. You can still buy their outdated toolkit for $145. Alas, we are but a small hair on the mole of an elephant’s ass to them. But as they continue to play violin on the deck of the Titanic, the ship continues to sink.
The question is, do you want to see if you can get into our DPC lifeboat or do you want to drown?