A4H will champion greater understanding and adoption of accountable care to improve health outcomes and lower costs

WASHINGTON DC USA -- HEALTHCARE UPDATE NEWS SERVICE™ -- MAY 10, 2023: Accountable for Health (A4H) today officially launched to help accelerate the transition from fee-for-service to more accountable health care models that improve outcomes and care experiences for people, expand access, and control costs. The new organization, and its broad and diverse membership, will focus on advocacy, research, and education in support of effective accountable care.

A4H is led by CEO Mara McDermott, a highly experienced health care executive with a deep background in federal health care law and policy, along with health care leaders across the country who are committed to improving and transforming the way health care is delivered to people. Today, over 30 companies have joined A4H, demonstrating the enthusiasm for the goals of improving health care. A full list of A4H members is available here.

"Well-designed accountable care delivery models have been improving people's lives across the country for decades, but this transformation is not easy and needs champions to advocate for faster, broader adoption," said A4H CEO Mara McDermott. "The critical transition from fee-for- service to models that are accountable for health is vulnerable due to a lack of awareness and understanding of the benefits it will produce. Drawing on our deep bench of experts and members, we will promote greater understanding of the impact of accountable care on patients' lives and how to advance its adoption. Our goal is to serve as a resource for crucial solutions for a better future in health care, one that provides convenient, coordinated and outcomes-driven care."

A Policy Council of former government officials and thought leaders will develop and continuously advise A4H on a robust policy agenda informed by accountable care practitioners. The Policy Council is co-chaired by Dr. Mark McClellan, Director and Robert J. Margolis, MD, Professor of Business, Medicine and Policy at Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy, and former Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Melanie Bella, Head of Partnerships and Policy at Cityblock Health, and former Director of the Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office at CMS. A current list of Policy Council experts is available on the A4H website here.

A4H will work closely with policymakers, prominent health care sector decision makers, and the individuals they serve, to demonstrate how accountable care improves health care experiences and outcomes for individuals and populations. The organization and its membership will also be a leading force accelerating continuous improvement in accountable care design and implementation, helping improve patient care across the country and address challenges in access and affordability.

A4H Policy Council Co-Chair Melanie Bella said, "Accountable for Health has an extremely important role to play, building support for improved health outcomes across policymakers, the full spectrum of payers and programs, and participants in our health care system. We look forward to learning from our members to bring critical perspectives and data for the benefit of states, business leaders, health care organizations, clinicians, patients and caregivers."

"Health costs are rising, population health trends are worsening, and health care organizations are increasingly stretched under fee-for-service models," said A4H Policy Council Co-Chair Dr. Mark McClellan. "This presents a critical window for policymakers to promote and adopt effective, accountable care models to improve care coordination, reduce waste, and make care more accessible. Accountable for Health brings together a wide range of perspectives to advance accountable care, as we seek to ensure the sustainability of a high-quality health system and improve the lives of millions of patients."