A rural health network or community health network is a local, facility-based, preferred provider network that is used to provide a platform for direct-to-employer contracting and deployment of locally directed narrow networks with the various carriers. The Affordable Care Act makes self-funding an attractive option. Consequent explosion of carrier-developed narrow network plans, more health systems across the country are developing their own network options for both business development and ‘revenue stream protection’ purposes. Creating a strategy, infrastructure, and execution of a Community Health Network that best-suits your community is where we come in.
SHP’s involvement in the development includes:
- Strategy development.
- Network infrastructure development.
- Network contracting.
SHP brings the capabilities to administer the necessary infrastructure development and contracting efforts for a successful community network deployment.
Specifically including project-based work and ongoing contract support. Details about the processes we take are below.
Strategy Development
Before moving forward with such a strategy, the operations and network management capabilities must be thoroughly assessed.
Key questions to ask that SHP can assess as well as implement and manage:
- Is there a provider database in place to maintain required demographic information?
- Are proper credentialing policies and procedures in place?
- Are there sufficient reporting capabilities to supply monthly downloads to third-party administrators as required?
- Do claims resolution capabilities, skill sets, and process exist?
- Is there a help desk function for network member questions and issues?
Network Infrastructure Development
First, we look at how we can assist in determining market uses for such a strategy.
Feasibility and local conditions for:
- Direct agreements with large employers.
- Carrier agreements for fully insured products.
- Health exchange products.
- Medicaid Care Management Organization products.
While assessing such external conditions, we evaluate internal feasibility as well:
- Evaluate CIN market strategy in line with overall growth strategy of Health System.
- Determine other health plan ancillary relationships. These are necessary to effectively reach market with single stop approach:
- Third party administrator(s).
- Disease management/high cost case management.
- Stop loss carriers.
Network Contracting
Once the strategy and framework have been developed, we then move forward to contract execution:
- Contract with payers to deploy relevant market products.
- Negotiate agreements as appropriate with selected payers (both direct and carrier agreements).
- Model rates to support negotiations, for both hospital and physicians.
Developing a Community oriented network strategy is a very smart, financially sound, and patient focused initiative. Going down the due diligence path will force your organization to review internal processes that will benefit all involved. It’s certainly a worthwhile endeavor and one SHP is prepared to assist.