Three-year partnership to increase value-based
payment model adoption and improve maternal and child health
outcomes in community health centers, impacting up to 1 in 5
Medicaid members
ST.
LOUIS, Dec. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --
The Centene Foundation ("The Foundation"), the philanthropic
arm of Centene Corporation ("Centene") [NYSE: CNC], a healthcare
enterprise focused on transforming the health of the communities it
serves, today announced it has made a commitment to enter into a
partnership with the National Association of Community Health
Centers ("NACHC"), a leading advocacy organization advancing
community-based care, to strengthen Community Health Centers (CHCs)
nationwide. The Foundation will invest $3
million over three years to enhance value-based care
adoption and improve maternal child health outcomes in CHCs.
CHCs deliver comprehensive, low-cost, high-quality primary care
to many historically underserved populations and address barriers
these populations may face to good health by providing wrap-around
services, including transportation, translation, patient education,
care management and connection to social services. Value-based
payment models are key for the sustainability of these essential
wrap-around services at health centers and thus key to improving
health for their patients.
The partnership will launch with a national value-based care
adoption strategy to further strengthen CHCs' ability to deliver
high-quality, patient-centered care. The strategy will begin with
an annual survey to assess CHCs' participation in and understanding
of value-based payment models. Insights from the survey will guide
the creation of a tailored learning curriculum to improve
value-based care literacy, supplemented by NACHC's Elevate learning
platform. The platform offers evidence-based educational content
designed to improve health center proficiency in critical areas of
value-based care. Findings from the survey and learning initiatives
will shape case studies and guide policy and advocacy strategy
recommendations. By building on the expertise and dedication of
CHCs, this partnership aims to enhance their capacity to optimize
resources, address disparities and advance care for underserved
populations.
As Community Health Centers advance new care delivery models, a
key priority is addressing the nation's maternal and child health
crisis, where stark disparities have persisted and even worsened in
recent years. In tandem, this partnership will help launch a
Maternal Health Innovation Exchange ("the Exchange"), which focuses
on reducing racial, ethnic and geographic disparities in maternal
and child health outcomes. Following a robust assessment of best
practices for improving maternal and child health care delivery in
CHCs, the Exchange will foster education and knowledge sharing
among them. A quality improvement program spanning 18-months will
then be implemented in up to 20 health centers, featuring
evidence-based interventions, self-care tools and virtual care
follow-ups for pregnant individuals with hypertension, diabetes or
other risk factors.
"CHCs are vital partners in care delivery who truly understand
the populations we jointly serve because they are deeply embedded
in the community. We're excited to strengthen our partnership with
NACHC through this insights-driven program to develop innovative
resources and solutions," said Centene Chief Executive Officer
(CEO), Sarah M. London. "By
supporting value-based care adoption and improving maternal and
child health interventions, we can better meet the needs of
historically underserved populations while driving efficiencies
that benefit patients and providers alike."
Since its founding in 1971, NACHC has grown to represent nearly
1,500 CHCs operating across 16,000 clinics and other units in
urban, suburban, rural, frontier, tribal and island communities. As
the largest source of primary care in the U.S., CHCs are a critical
resource for vulnerable and medically underserved populations,
including an estimated one in five Medicaid beneficiaries. Greater
efficiency in value-based care models support CHCs in delivering
high-quality care while maximizing resources. In maternal and child
health, these efficiencies help expand access to timely
interventions, strengthen care coordination for chronic conditions
and address disparities impacting mothers and children.
"Since their inception nearly 60 years ago, CHCs have been
recognized for their vital role in improving health outcomes and
reducing costs. Today, they serve 32.5 million people, or one in 10
nationwide, delivering comprehensive, integrated primary care with
behavioral, oral, pharmacy, specialty and enabling services that
not only prevent acute and chronic illness, but also help divert
patients from costly hospitalizations and emergency care. Their
proactive and mission-driven approach continues to demonstrate
value in both saving lives and generating a significant return on
investment for communities and the health system," said NACHC
President and CEO, Kyu Rhee, MD,
MPP. "Now, in partnership with the Centene Foundation, we are
positioned to expand value-based payment adoption to improve
efficiency and capacity at health centers while improving maternal
health outcomes for hundreds of thousands of pregnant
individuals."
About Centene Foundation
The Centene Foundation (the "Foundation"), a private
nonprofit focused on investing in economically challenged
communities, is the philanthropic arm
of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC)
("Centene"). The Foundation supports projects and initiatives
strategically aligned with Centene's mission-driven culture and
enhances the work Centene is doing to remove the barriers to
wellness that underserved and low-income populations face. The
Foundation is committed to addressing social determinants of health
and improving health equity in three distinct areas of focus:
healthcare access, social services and education. To learn more,
visit the Centene Foundation's website.
About the National Association of Community Health
Centers
NACHC is the leading innovative change
agent collaborating with affiliates and partners to advance
Community Health Centers as the foundation of an equitable health
care system free from disparities and built on accessible,
patient-governed, high-quality, integrated primary care.
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SOURCE Centene Foundation