Preparing for Multi-Payer Health Care Transformation: Common Issues from SIM Test States

On September 30 and October 1, 2013, the Milbank Memorial Fund and the Center for Health Care Strategies convened a meeting for representatives from the six State Innovation Model test states, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, and NORC at the University of Chicago, to identify common issues facing these states as well as potential solutions. A wide range of issues were discussed, but two areas of opportunity stood out as the most critical for test states and are likely to be of greatest interest to design states and others looking ahead to undertaking multi-payer health care transformation in the coming year: (1) engaging all payers in common/aligned payment reform, and (2) integrating a broader array of providers across care delivery. While these two broad categories are familiar to stakeholders already engaged in multi-payer work, states honed in on a few new issues that are highly salient for all states interested in transforming their health systems.