[MMA News Now, Oct. 25, 2012] On Oct. 17, the MMA sent a letter to the state in response to the most current version of recommendations from the Care Integration and Payment Reform Work Group of the Governor’s Health Care Reform Task Force.

“The MMA fully supports the Work Group’s goal of advancing the Triple Aim - to improve population health, improve patient care and the care experience and reduce costs,” said the letter signed by MMA President Dan Maddox, M.D. However, the MMA is concerned that the Work Group’s current recommendations are too narrowly focused.

The letter goes on to say: “The adoption and advancement of state-level policy aimed primarily at expansion of total cost of care (TCOC) contracting assumes a near-singular solution for accomplishing the Triple Aim.” The MMA expressed concerns that a state-sanctioned policy to expand TCOC contracting as the preferred and principal solution might hinder further innovation and experimentation of payment and delivery models.

The MMA said it strongly believes that a variety of practice structures, sizes and types should be taken into account and are essential to meeting the varied needs of patients, communities and physicians.

To read the entire letter, click here.