MOVING TOWARD VALUE-BASED PURCHASING PROGRAMS FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS: IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES FROM THE PROVIDER PERSPECTIVE Introduction

This new paper is a follow-up to the Kodner paper I circulated a few weeks ago called Value-Based Purchasing in Health Care: Strategic Implications for Vulnerable Populations. In the companion paper we point out that individuals in vulnerable population groups (and their family caregivers) face numerous obstacles in coping with their conditions on an ongoing basis, accessing a wide array of services and supports, and effectively managing and coordinating complex needs on their own and through multiple providers in health care settings and beyond. As pointed out in the previous companion paper on VBP, these populations would best be served by an integrated network of providers committed to the provision of comprehensive services and capable of providing coordinated, person-centered, and condition-sensitive care and support on a continuous basis within the context of a “global” payment arrangement.