Governor Establishes Idaho Healthcare Coalition to Implement Innovation Plan

Press Release

Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter announced the next step today in his continuing work with public and private partners to create "an integrated, coordinated, efficient and economical healthcare system" for Idaho.

The Governor signed an executive order on February 25 establishing the Idaho Healthcare Coalition (IHC). It will implement the State Healthcare Innovation Plan (SHIP) to develop a patient-centered model of care that "focuses on improved population health, improved individual health outcomes, and cost efficiencies."

"I've been working with Idaho's healthcare community for years on how to make Idaho's system more accessible and affordable. We feel confident now that we have the right model, the right mix of provider and payer autonomy, and the right people at the table to implement our plan," Governor Otter said. "While Obamacare has changed the landscape, we have not wavered from our commitment to addressing Idaho's specific healthcare needs with Idaho solutions."

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare will oversee and support the IHC's work. Members will be appointed by the Governor and include representatives of the Idaho Health Care Council, the Idaho Medical Home Collaborative, and others from the healthcare provider community, private and public health insurers, policy makers, and consumers.

The Idaho Health Care Council and the Idaho Medical Home Collaborative both were created by executive order in 2010. The Council was directed to identify opportunities for and challenges to achieving healthcare reform, and the Collaborative was responsible for transforming primary care in Idaho to a patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model of care.

Continuing that work, the IHC will focus on regional collaboration supporting local integration of PCMH models of care with medical neighborhoods, including primary, secondary and specialized care consultants, hospitals, behavioral health and other community support services. It also will work closely with the Idaho Health Professions Education Council, established by the Governor in 2009, to ensure that the IHC's efforts align with the Council's workforce development strategies.

Finally, the IHC will establish metrics and methods for determining the effectiveness of the SHIP in improving patient outcomes. The Coalition will be responsible for encouraging public and private health insurers to base provider reimbursements on those health outcomes rather than on the volume of patient visits.

Source