Washington payer coalition commits to primary care transformation
For immediate release.

OLYMPIA - On Tuesday, July 9, the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) will host a coalition of primary care payers, purchasers, and providers to celebrate the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to improve access to high-quality primary care for Washington residents. The event will be streamed from 10 a.m. to noon on TVW.

Washington currently has 39% of the estimated primary care providers needed to adequately serve the population. Increased expectations for providers, including administrative burden related to a fragmented payment system, results in a strained provider workforce and decreases access to care for Washington residents.

“Primary care is the foundation of our health care system and needs robust support,” said HCA medical director Dr. Judy Zerzan-Thul. “When payers collaborate, it empowers practices to better serve patients and reduces the administrative burden.”

The signers, known as the Washington Multi-payer Collaborative, will make commitments to align on key policies, reduce administrative burden, and transform the way primary care is delivered and supported.

The policies outlined in the MOU aim to balance alignment of alternative payment models with flexibility to accommodate payer-specific constraints. One of the primary policy goals includes shifting payment models away from fee-for-service toward a framework that incentivizes higher-quality care.

Other agreements in the MOU include a commitment to align on program onboarding, quality measure reporting, a common definition of primary care, and coordinated communications to stakeholders and providers.

While funding will be required to fully address the many challenges faced by primary care providers, the Collaborative is foundational to improving care outcomes in Washington. HCA anticipates the signing of this MOU to result in payers across the state working together to reduce burdens on providers, allowing them to focus more on quality care.

The MOU signers include:

  • Community Health Plan of WA
  • Coordinated Care
  • Kaiser Permanente Washington
  • Molina Healthcare of Washington, Inc.
  • Regence BlueShield
  • UnitedHealthcare
  • Premera Blue Cross
  • Wellpoint Washington, Inc.
  • WA State Health Care Authority

Learn more about the Primary Care Transformation Initiative.

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About Washington State Health Care Authority

Functioning as both the state's largest health care purchaser and its behavioral health authority, the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) is a leader in ensuring Washington residents have the opportunity to be as healthy as possible.
 
There are three pillars of our work: Apple Health (Medicaid); the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) and School Employees Benefits Board (SEBB) programs; and behavioral health and recovery. Under these pillars, HCA purchases health care, including behavioral health treatment for more than 2.7 million Washington residents and provides behavioral health prevention, crisis, and recovery supports to all Washington residents.