MSDC Meets with CareFirst to Discuss Changes and Concerns from DC Docs April 22, 2020

Dear colleagues -

Yesterday, the leadership of MSDC met with leaders from CareFirst BCBS. We arranged the meeting a month ago to discuss changes to the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) program but the COVID-19 public health emergency added additional urgency to the meeting.

The wide-ranging conversation opened a new avenue of communication between the two organizations and set the stage for further collaboration on common concerns. I am proud to share we also pushed back on concerns we heard from members, especially on changes to PCMH that cost physicians money and raised privacy issues.

Our takeaways from the meeting include:

• CareFirst made changes to PCMH - including using FIGMD to gather data - to drive population health decisions. MSDC pushed to ensure that physicians would not be financially penalized for voluntarily complying and data would not be retained by FIGMD. MSDC also pushed to ensure physicians not participating in PCMH would not be penalized by CareFirst's internal scoring. 
• MSDC applauded CareFirst's announcements on how they would help physician practices struggling to stay open during COVID-19 (see more here) and made suggestions on ways to maximize value to physician practices.
• MSDC and CareFirst discussed shared dedication to physician health and wellness as well as potential ways to work together in the future on physician wellbeing.
• MSDC pushed for increased reimbursement for physicians not participating in the PCMH program.
• MSDC urged CareFirst to change internal scoring process to ensure scoring is based on patient outcomes and not CareFirst costs.

MSDC continues to work with CareFirst and share concerns about their relationship with providers, especially during the public health emergency. If you have questions or concerns, please contact MSDC staff at 202-466-1800 or hay[at]msdc.org.

Sincerely,
J. Desiree Pineda, MD, FACP
President