Policy Options to Foster Smarter, Person-Centered Care for High-Need, High-Cost Medicare Patients
Medicare regulations and payment rules can erect barriers to evidence-based care designs to address non-clinical needs, which are particularly important for individuals with chronic conditions and functional or cognitive impairments. Matthew McKearn, the associate director of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s (BPC) Health Project, will discuss BPC's work on developing recommendations to improve value in the U.S. health care system. BPC is working on policy ideas to finance long-term services and supports that have the potential to address non-clinical needs and avoid expensive hospital stays and other avoidable care episodes. BPC has partnered with CMC's Policy Lab to work in this policy area, focusing on proposals for lowering costs and improving services for people who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid coverage.
Prior to joining BPC, McKearn served as the director of the office of legislative affairs and budget for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) within the Department of Health and Human Services. He also worked at the Office of Management and Budget where he was a senior analyst. His issue areas included long-term care hospitals and post-acute care, hospice, Medigap, rural Medicare payments, delivery system reform, and the Independent Payment Advisory Board.