Planning carefully for this competition  “can help determine whether it’s best to enter as an independent plan, partner with an established entity that brings the right capabilities, or to take delegated risk from a health plan for an attributed population.”

Further, “to maximize the benefits, providers need to know exactly what patients are attributed to the plan—and fiercely manage each and every individual accordingly. For the sickest and riskiest patients, that means delivering care differently—more targeted and coordinated across points of care—to drive savings in a major way.”

“Most provider-turned-health plans are at least somewhat well-positioned to improve the quality and reduce the cost of patient care across a network if incentives are appropriately aligned; this of course is fundamental to running a profitable plan.”

“The best plans go to great lengths to learn and document every last issue about their patients to get this right, and then receive higher payments from CMS for those riskier patients.”