A recent survey by the Milken Institute reveals that value-based care is gaining traction among employers, with nearly one-third already incorporating it into their benefits offerings. Another third are actively exploring ways to integrate more accountable care into their plans.
Accountable care, a key component of value-based care, is designed to enhance the quality of care, improve coordination and boost health outcomes, all while reducing unnecessary costs and minimizing care fragmentation for both individuals and health systems. The report highlights that many employers, as they consider expanding their accountable care offerings, are prioritizing increased access to primary care, expanded preventive services and a stronger focus on whole-person health.
However, the survey also underscores the challenges employers face in implementing value-based care. Respondents pointed to several obstacles, including the complexity of establishing value-based arrangements, healthcare infrastructure limitations and the difficulty of navigating a complex system with limited capacity and bandwidth. Cost is another significant barrier.
While many employers already offer benefits like maternal health, mental health services, primary care and nurse lines, coverage for areas such as healthy food, fitness, substance use disorder treatment and caregiver support remains less common. When asked about future plans, 23% of respondents indicated a focus on enhancing mental health resources, while 20% plan to improve virtual primary care and caregiver support.
Ultimately, value-based care shifts the emphasis from the quantity of services to the quality, leading to better health outcomes for employees. By focusing on whole-person health, employers can significantly reduce health care costs.
Vanderbilt Health Employer Solutions offers a range of value-based care benefits, including our MyHealth Bundles program. To learn more about how this program can benefit employers, explore our MyHealth Bundles Impact Report.
