CHICAGO; INDIANAPOLIS — Health care affordability is one of the biggest challenges facing patients and doctors today. With a shared goal to help patients have improved access to quality, timely and affordable health care, the American Medical Association (AMA) and Anthem, Inc. (NYSE: ANTM) today announced they will seek to identify and collaborate on solutions that drive a high-value experience for patients, physicians, other health care professionals and health plans.

“Collaboration between payers and health care professionals is critical in order to evolve and advance our health care system to one that is simpler, more accessible and more affordable for consumers. At Anthem, we value our relationships with health care professionals, and today we are reaffirming our commitment to work together to create a best-in-class health care system that delivers on this promise for patients across the country,” said Craig Samitt, M.D., chief clinical officer at Anthem, Inc.

“Physicians caring for patients across the country have many ideas about how we can reduce health care costs and administrative burdens while improving clinical outcomes, and we need the collaboration of Anthem and all health plans to implement those strategies. The AMA looks forward to finding common ground on ways to improve the delivery of affordable, high-quality, patient-centered care,” said AMA Board Chair Gerald E. Harmon, M.D.

As the first step, the AMA and Anthem will work together in 2018 to pursue opportunities for collaboration in the following areas:

• Enhance consumer and patient health care literacy
  Physicians and health plans can help enhance patients’ understanding of health plan benefits, treatment selection and choice of care setting.
• Develop/enhance and implement value-based payment models for primary and specialty care physicians
  Value-based payment models have the potential to improve clinical outcomes, care access and lower total costs, resulting in improved satisfaction for both consumers and health care professionals.
• Improve access to timely, actionable data to enhance patient care
  Physicians and health plans recognize the importance of leveraging data analytics to address gaps in care, achieve better outcomes and lower costs. Moreover, readily accessible data are critical for successful population health management.
• Streamline and/or eliminate low-value prior-authorization requirements
  As outlined in the consensus statement issued by the AMA, other health care professional associations and health plan organizations earlier this year, there are many opportunities to improve the prior authorization process by eliminating low-value requirements and implementing policies to minimize delays or disruptions in the continuity of care.