Wyden offers bipartisan chronic disease bill

The likely incoming chairman of the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday introduced a bipartisan bill that would give providers and insurance plans incentives to use team-based care to treat patients with chronic health conditions.

The voluntary program outlined by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) would allow Medicare providers to operate “Better Care Plans” or “Better Care Practices.” They would receive new risk adjustments, capitated payments and be rewarded for better outcomes. It would lift federal prohibitions on providers from reaching out to the sickest patients to provide care. And providers could also use incentives to motivate patients.

The legislation is trying to address the biggest portion of Medicare’s costs: patients with chronic conditions.

“The Medicare program that millions of Americans treasure is now dominated by cancer and diabetes and heart disease and other chronic conditions,” Wyden said while introducing the bill, which he said would “remove the government shackles on innovation.”