Our Publications

Embedding Equity In Financial Benchmarks: Changes To The Health Equity Benchmark Adjustment

This article is in the Health Affairs Forefront series, Accountable Care for Population Health, featuring analysis and discussion of how to understand, design, support, and measure patient-centered, cost-efficient care under the umbrella of accountable care. This article is written by Joshua Liao and Amol Navathe in response to the latest developments in policy and research affecting accountable care.

Association of High‐Deductible Health Plans With Health Care Use and Costs for Patients With Cardiovascular Disease

In this longitudinal cohort study, Gupta et al. found that among commercially insured patients with chronic cardiovascular disease, switching to an HDHP was not associated with a change in health care use but was associated with an increase in out‐of‐pocket costs. Although health care use by individuals with chronic cardiovascular disease may not be sensitive to higher cost sharing associated with HDHP enrollment, there may be a significant increase in patients' financial burden.

Distinctive Features In The Making Care Primary Model

This article is in the Health Affairs Forefront series, Accountable Care for Population Health, featuring analysis and discussion of how to understand, design, support, and measure patient-centered, cost-efficient care under the umbrella of accountable care. This article is written by Joshua Liao and Amol Navathe in response to the latest developments in policy and research affecting accountable care. 

Principles to Inform Risk Adjustment: Policy Reflection From the Front Lines

Amol Navathe and Daniel M. Horn give a reflection from the front lines and practicing clinicians and clinical leaders.

Advancing Equity Versus Quality In Population-Based Models: Lessons From The New Proposed Rule

This article is in the Health Affairs Forefront series, Accountable Care for Population Health, featuring analysis and discussion of how to understand, design, support, and measure patient-centered, cost-efficient care under the umbrella of accountable care. This article is written by Joshua Liao and Amol Navathe in response to the latest developments in policy and research affecting accountable care. 

Policy Design Tools for Achieving Equity Through Value-Based Payment, Part 2

In part 2 of their Forefront series, Navathe et al describe in what ways value-based payment programs could be designed to focus explicitly on addressing inequities, improving on historical precedent and ushering in a generation of payment models that promote health equity in the US. However, activity does not necessarily equal progress, and policy makers must implement change in a systematic, coordinated way to advance equity through payment reform. They can begin doing so by identifying equity challenges and developing a set of policy tools for each value-based payment design consideration. The framework laid out in this two-part article provides a place to start.

Policy Design Tools For Achieving Equity Through Value-Based Payment, Part 1

In this Forefront article, Navathe et al describe the key design considerations in value-based payment models, including organizational participation, payment rules, and risk adjustment. Each pose equity implications, and policy makers can take steps to ensure that all three considerations are designed so that programs support health equity. Similar design tools for four additional considerations—performance measurement, spending targets, performance-based incentives, and care redesign—will be the focus of part 2 of article.

Characteristics of Hospitals and Physician Groups Participating in Bundled Payments for Care Improvement-Advanced Outpatient Spine Episodes

In this poster from the Academy Health Annual Conference, Ng et al present findings that Hospitals and physician groups that enroll in outpatient spine episodes tend to have higher baseline volumes of outpatient spine surgery.

Using Advanced Payments In Population-Based Models To Address Equity

This article is the latest in the Health Affairs Forefront series, Accountable Care for Population Health, featuring analysis and discussion of how to understand, design, support, and measure patient-centered, cost-efficient care under the umbrella of accountable care.

This article is written by Joshua Liao and Amol Navathe in response to the latest developments in policy and research affecting accountable care. Other authors will contribute to the series as well.

Additional articles will be published throughout 2023. Readers are encouraged to review the Call for Submissions for this series. 

Hospital Consolidation: The Rise of Geographically Distant Mergers

In this Viewpoint, Dr. Amol Navathe and John Connolly describe how and why cross-market mergers are different than prototypical within-market mergers in their effects on patients and communities, why the trend toward cross-market mergers may be accelerating, and future policy and research directions.