ANCOR Publishes New White Paper Exploring Potential of Alternative Payment Models to Catalyze Systems Transformation

By Donna Martin, ANCOR

It will come as a surprise to precisely no one familiar with ANCOR’s work that we have struggled as a community of providers for decades to recruit and retain qualified direct support professionals.

Although we often situate additional funding as a key solution to the workforce crisis—additional financial resources are sorely needed—there’s a transformation taking place that has the potential to make or break whether providers will be able to sustain a workforce to deliver high-quality supports to all who need them.

That transformation is the shift away from fee-for-service models and towards alternatives that pay for the delivery of value. That transformation is also the subject of ANCOR’s newest publication. We’re thrilled to share the results of nearly two years of work in our new white paper, .

As we identify in Improving Lives & Ensuring Sustainability, state and federal payers continue to seek value over volume in Medicaid-funded services. As a result, it is essential that intellectual and developmental disabilities services prepare for a transition from fee-for-service payment design—one where providers are reimbursed for units of time spent delivering services—in favor of alternative payment models including but not limited to value-based contracting strategies. 

ANCOR has long been seen as a leader in the coming systems transformation being heralded by alternative payment models, and we set out to develop this latest white paper in service of our members. We know many of our members are operating in states that are already making the move toward alternative payment models, while others see the transformation on the horizon and are wondering what it means for them, their services and the people they support.

To answer these questions, ANCOR’s alternative payment model work group evaluated five promising models. The programs evaluated hold keys to successful implementation of these alternative payment models. Each program was evaluated across four dimensions, including quality, finance, access and system design. This evaluation offers a set of five recommendations for key components to be incorporated into alternative payment model programs to ensure successful outcomes.

We invite you to read these recommendations by downloading today. We also encourage you to visit our Alternative Payment Models page to learn more and gain access to our other publications and resources on the topic. And, as always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me via email.

Donna Martin is ANCOR’s Director of State Partnerships & Special Projects.