Pennsylvania

In response to Pennsylvania’s growing chronic disease burden and its impact on healthcare spending, the Governor issued Executive Order 2007-05 on May 21, 2007. This order created the Pennsylvania Chronic Care Management, Reimbursement and Cost Reduction Commission, also known as the Chronic Care Commission. The Commission proposed and then implemented the Pennsylvania Chronic Care Initiative (CCI) designed to achieve four strategic goals:

  • Widespread use of a new primary care reimbursement model that rewards PCMH care based on the Chronic Care Model.
  • Broad dissemination of the Chronic Care Model to primary care practices across Pennsylvania, through regional chronic care learning collaboratives. 
  • Achievement of tangible and measurable improvement in patient satisfaction, access to care, health outcomes and quality of life.
  • Reduction in the cost of providing chronic care with the reduction of avoidable hospitalizations and emergency room visits and mechanisms to ensure that some of the savings are realized by all entities paying for health care. 

The first rollout (Southeast PA) started in May 2008 and six more learning collaboratives were launched through December 2009, involving a total of 152 mostly small and medium-size primary care practices and 640 providers (75% of the practices have 5 or fewer FTE providers). In four of PA’s seven regions, 17 payers, including Medicaid, provided $30 million in infrastructure payments to practices to support transformation. Since 2009, the state’s contracts with Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) have required MCOs to participate in the CCI. Phase II of the CCI began in January 2012 with funding from the Multi-payer Advanced Primary Care Practice demonstration.

 

State PCMH Activity

In response to Pennsylvania’s growing chronic disease burden and its impact on healthcare spending, the Governor issued Executive Order 2007-05 on May 21, 2007. This order created the Pennsylvania Chronic Care Management, Reimbursement and Cost Reduction Commission, also known as the Chronic Care Commission. The Commission proposed and then implemented the Pennsylvania Chronic Care Initiative (CCI) designed to achieve four strategic goals:

  • Widespread use of a new primary care reimbursement model that rewards PCMH care based on the Chronic Care Model.
  • Broad dissemination of the Chronic Care Model to primary care practices across Pennsylvania, through regional chronic care learning collaboratives. 
  • Achievement of tangible and measurable improvement in patiient satisfaction, access to care, health outcomes and quality of life.
  • Reduction in the cost of providing chronic care with the reduction of avoidable hospitalizations and emergency room visits and mechanisms to ensure that some of the savings are realized by all entities paying for health care. 

The first rollout (Southeast PA) started in May 2008 and six more learning collaboratives were launched through December 2009, involving a total of 152 mostly small and medium-size primary care practices and 640 providers (75% of the practices have 5 or fewer FTE providers). In four of PA’s seven regions, 17 payers, including Medicaid, provided $30 million in infrastructure payments to practices to support transformation. Since 2009, the state’s contracts with Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) have required MCOs to participate in the CCI. Phase II of the CCI began in January 2012 with funding from the Multi-payer Advanced Primary Care Practice demonstration.

Primary Care Innovations and PCMH Activity

Dual Eligible 2703 SPA CPC CPC+ PCMH QHP PCMH Legislation Private Payer

Multi-Payer Programs

Program Name Payer Type Coverage Area Parent Program Outcomes
Greater Philadelphia Comprehensive Primary Care Plus Multi-Payer Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County, Montgomery County, Philadelphia County CMS Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+)
Pennsylvania Chronic Care Initiative (CCI) Multi-Payer Statewide

Private Payer Programs

State Legislation

Legislation Status Year
Executive Order 2007-05

This Executive Order created the Pennsylvania Chronic Care Management, Reimbursement and Cost Reduction Commission, also known as the Chronic Care Commission. The Chronic Care Commission subsequently developed the framework for the Pennsylvania Chronic Care Initiative. 

Enacted 2007
House Bill 1655

The law establishes a Patient-Centered Medical Home Advisory Council, provides powers and duties of the council, and provides for the development of a plan to implement a statewide medical home model. 

Enacted 2014
SB 809

Establishes the Primary Care Investment Task Force which will take a detailed and objective look at where Pennsylvania stands when it comes to primary care investments compared to other states. Building off their findings, the task force will also identify what can be done to bolster investment in primary care.

Pending 2023

State Facts:

Population:
12,759,200
Uninsured Population:
10%
Total Medicaid Spending FY 2013: 
$21.0 Billion 
Overweight/Obese Adults:
64.5%
Poor Mental Health among Adults: 
35.5%
Medicaid Expansion: 
Yes

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