Senate Finance Committee Hosts Roundtable Discussion on Hospital Value Based Purchasing

The Senate Finance Committee recently announced in a Press Release that it will hold a roundtable discussion at 2:00 p.m. on March 6, 2008 to discuss ideas for implementing a Medicare value-based purchasing program for hospital care. 

According to the Press Release, 22 health care organizations will take part in the roundtable discussion.  During the discussion, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will present an overview of its November 21, 2007 Report to Congress: Plan to Implement a Medicare Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program (Report).  The Report discusses options for a plan to implement a Medicare hospital value-based purchasing (VBP) program beginning in fiscal year 2009.

As reflected in the agenda, the roundtable discussion is expected to involve a discussion of key issues concerning performance standards, incentives, quality measures, and the implementation of the VBP program.