Achieving accountable care in Massachusetts: payment reform to drive delivery system change

On November 30, 2010, the Massachusetts Health Policy Forum will convene a forum to examine models of accountable health care delivery. The forum will showcase organizations from Massachusetts and other states that have taken significant steps toward improving the efficiency and quality of health care delivery through vertically and virtually integrated systems. Local stakeholders representing government, payers, providers and consumers will discuss challenges and opportunities for the Commonwealth in promoting accountable care. This paper outlines the challenge of rising health care costs in Massachusetts and provides a brief summary of actions and reports by state officials to address quality and cost concerns. It then discusses the concept of accountable care delivery and related models of coordinated health care. Next, it provides a short overview of the five organizations invited to describe their delivery models. Finally, it identifies unresolved issues that may be addressed at the forum.