John Kelly

Pleased to work with the Primary Care Payment Reform Collaborative in the Colorado Division of Insurance. Check out our 7th Annual Recommendations Report!

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📣 The Colorado Primary Care Payment Reform Collaborative (PCPRC) has released its Seventh Annual Recommendations Report, offering timely guidance for strengthening primary care amid shifting federal and state policies. This year’s report highlights payment model alignment, the impact of H.R. 1, challenges facing rural, pediatric, and safety‑net providers, and the development of a coordinated statewide primary care strategy. Thank you to PCPRC member and Farley State Policy Director Lauren S. Hughes, MD, MPH, MSc, MHCDS, FAAFP for her contributions! 🔗 Access the full report: https://bit.ly/46V2TdC

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In 2023, Minnesota received enhanced federal Medicaid (FMAP) funding to strengthen HCBS statewide one of the largest recent investments in community-based services. The state’s spending plan outlines several commitments for using these funds, including: • Increasing provider payment rates to improve sustainability and access • Expanding services so individuals can receive more support in community settings • Helping people remain in their homes rather than move into institutional care • Investing in infrastructure, planning, and reform to strengthen administrative and coordination capabilities These investments matter. They help stabilize providers, expand access, and strengthen the foundation of community-based care. But here’s the reality many professionals experience daily: Funding improves the system on paper, coordination determines how individuals experience it in practice. Day-to-day, case managers, agencies, and providers still navigate: • Fragmented workflows • Rapidly changing capacity • Significant time spent verifying availability • Communication gaps across multiple teams and tools These challenges don’t disappear with new dollars.They require operational clarity, better information flow, and coordination infrastructure that supports the people doing the work. This gap sits at the heart of what we’re working to understand at Referrin Health. We’re not building technology for its own sake. Our work begins with a simple question: How do we support the people who make Minnesota’s HCBS system work every day? Minnesota’s spending plan is an important reminder: Policy and investment shape the system, but coordination is what ultimately shapes access. #ReferrinHealth #MedicaidFunding #CareCoordination #MNDHS #MDH #DakotaCounty #HennepinCounty #HCBS

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IHCI ACO Demonstrates Success of Value-Based Care Model Indianapolis, IN — The Innovative Healthcare Collaborative of Indiana (IHCI), a joint venture operated by Community Health Network and Deaconess Health Systems, operates a Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) known as IHCI ACO. Through this program, IHCI and its partners care for more than 49,000 Medicare beneficiaries across Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois tri-state region and Central Indiana. According to newly released federal performance data, IHCI ACO successfully met Medicare’s quality and cost goals in 2024—resulting in significant savings for taxpayers while improving care for patients. IHCI ACO ranked in the top 25% of all 476 MSSP ACOs nationwide for quality performance in 2024. Medicare measures ACO performance on a range of indicators, from preventive screenings and electronic health record use to reducing avoidable hospitalizations. In addition to strong quality scores, IHCI ACO achieved meaningful cost savings, which will be reinvested in population health initiatives that further benefit patients. “By working together through an ACO, we can deliver higher-quality care at lower cost while preserving patient choice,” said Dr. James Porter of Deaconess Health System and Dr. Patrick McGill of Community Health Network. “ACOs like ours are proving that value-based care improves outcomes, saves Medicare dollars, and strengthens our health system.” IHCI ACO initiatives include: ·       Increasing Medicare beneficiaries’ use of annual wellness visits, screenings, and preventive care. ·       Ensuring smooth transitions of care when patients move from the hospital to home or to a skilled nursing facility. ·       Sharing best practices among clinicians and specialists to improve outcomes and reduce unnecessary hospitalizations. Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) represent a market-based solution to fragmented, costly care. By aligning incentives, the MSSP empowers local physicians, hospitals, and other providers to collaborate in improving quality, enhancing patient experience, and keeping care affordable. More National ACOs than ever earned shared savings in 2024, underscoring the program’s growing success. For additional resources, including a fact sheet on MSSP ACOs and “What is an ACO?”, visit the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services website. About IHCI ACO IHCI ACO provides the operations needed to support value-based care and specific population health efforts. The primary goals are to identify best practices for population health in collaboration with the participants, create strategies for deploying solutions, and support participants with people, process and tools needed for ACO patient populations. To learn more about our ACO, visit us at: https://lnkd.in/gj4cu8uS

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Rural healthcare boards deserve specialized governance support. Through our partnership with governWell™, WHA members have access to experienced advisors who bring 35+ years of healthcare leadership expertise to every engagement. ✓ Board Education & Governance Assessments ✓ Strategic Planning Facilitation ✓ Executive Coaching Tailored to Rural Healthcare Challenges Several WHA members have already strengthened their governance capabilities through this partnership, equipping their boards to navigate complex decisions and create lasting community impact. Is your board ready for its next level of effectiveness? Learn more: https://ow.ly/GS5B50YcA83 #RuralHealthcare #HealthcareLeadership #BoardGovernance #WHA

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The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs has launched a brand-new Veteran Health Navigator Program designed to bridge gaps in care, benefits, and the social drivers of health that shape overall well-being. This innovative, strategic initiative is focused on: ✔️ Connecting Veterans to the health care and benefits they’ve earned ✔️ Coordinating services across community ✔️ Supporting Veterans who primarily receive care outside the VA system ✔️ Addressing social drivers of health — including housing stability, transportation, employment, food access, and social connection ✔️ Supporting families who stand alongside those who served ✔️ Helping reduce isolation and risk factors associated with suicide Many Veterans receive most or all of their care in non-VA health systems. This program helps ensure those Veterans are not overlooked — providing navigation, coordination, and connection so they can access the full range of benefits, behavioral health resources, and community supports available to them. By recognizing that health extends beyond clinical care, Veteran Health Navigators provide whole-person support — strengthening protective factors, improving access, and ensuring Veterans don’t have to navigate complex systems alone. Reducing suicide risk requires proactive outreach, meaningful connection, and coordinated systems of support. This program reflects a strong commitment to prevention, early intervention, and measurable impact in communities across Minnesota. Strong leadership makes initiatives like this possible — and RaeAnne is doing an outstanding job guiding this new, strategic effort that is already making a positive difference for Veterans and their families.

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Major changes are coming for Medicaid, and they are expected to leave as many as 140,000 Minnesotans without publicly funded health insurance in the next three years. Fairview Health Services CEO James Hereford joined Gov. Tim Walz this week to underline the impact that will have on everyone, even those with their own privately-funded insurance.

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It was a busy and contentious week at the state capitol as Minnesota lawmakers delved into fraud oversight, budget priorities, and affordability issues. They also grappled with emerging issues like driverless vehicles and private equity’s role in health care. For a full summary, read the latest “Legislative Top 5” summary from our Government Relations team here: https://lnkd.in/gSrv-9dU #MinnesotaLegislature #LegiTop5

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