Catholic Health Partners CEO provides feedback at White House

Cincinnati, OH (July 25, 2011) -- As Chair of the Premier healthcare alliance, Michael Connelly, president and CEO of Catholic Health Partners, was invited by Nancy-Ann Min DeParle, deputy chief of staff for policy in the Obama administration and former director, White House Office of Health Reform, to provide feedback on Accountable Care Organizations (ACO) at the White House on July 21.

Joining him were Terrance Carroll, PhD, senior vice president for transformation, Fairview Health Services, and Susan DeVore, president and CEO, Premier.

Connelly and his colleagues underscored health care's commitment to partner with CMS to better coordinate care, collaborate with providers and suppliers and share information across the continuum of care in order to improve health outcomes, lower costs and increase quality.

But they expressed concern that the proposed rule fails to build on established successful principles of integrated care. They noted the initial proposed rule does not encourage cost savings, efficiency and improved patient outcomes. Nor does it address provider risks. Instead, they believe proposed regulations will impose financial, structural and technological hurdles so significant that many health systems will choose not to participate.

They proposed that, with changes, the Medicare ACO program can be successful and underscored their willingness to partner with federal initiatives to achieve a more integrated, efficient, quality focused health delivery system.