The US healthcare system has a significant role to play as the climate becomes more volatile and the effects on human health more pronounced. Health care leaders are likely to play roles in both climate adaptation and mitigation. This includes preparing their health systems to respond to natural disasters and major air quality and heat events, as well as play a role in reducing emissions. Despite increasing clarity around the role healthcare leaders will need to play, the industry is in the position of reacting to climate events, because there are not yet financial incentives that support long-range planning and programs. In short, while healthcare leaders may want to innovate, they need to do so within the constraints of the existing payment system, challenging innovators to work within these bounds.The goal of this session will be to offer a “101” overview of health care payment, with a particular look at the value-based payment models that create space for innovation in the industry and offer ideas for where innovators in climate might align their work with existing health payment and innovation initiatives. In the course of the session, we will:
- Review the basics of the current fee-for-service payment system, and the ways in which the trend toward value-based payment has evolved in the industry
- Work through examples of how the concept of “return on investment” changes depending on the underlying payment model, using climate specific examples
- Explore how climate adaptation initiatives may be aligned with current payment models, and particularly value-based payment initiatives
- Offer suggestions for ways to embed climate adaptation and mitigation more sustainably into current health care payment models using policy levers
- Indicates paper has been withdrawn from meeting
- Indicates an Award Winner