Integrated Healthcare Association

#WhyIHA, an inside look at the individuals behind our programs, featuring Andrea Rodgers, Senior Director, Business Development. In my role, I’m responsible for prospecting, sales, and pipeline management for IHA's Symphony Provider Directory, in addition to assessing opportunities for expanding product capabilities. While I’m new to IHA as an employee, I’m not new to IHA or Symphony. I started working as a consultant with IHA in 2018 as part of the California Provider Directory Utility soft launch and worked in various client success, product, and business development roles following the launch. One achievement I’m particularly proud of is the role I played in developing the business case for Symphony’s expansion into ancillary markets like behavioral health and dental. This work lays the foundation for Symphony’s growth, opening doors for new partnerships and expanding its impact across the healthcare ecosystem. I’m energized by the opportunity to solve complex problems alongside smart, dedicated people across California’s healthcare industry. Every day, I get to engage with diverse stakeholders, including health plans, providers, and policymakers, to find solutions that improve healthcare data, access, and outcomes. Knowing that the work we do at IHA drives real change and makes a meaningful impact is what keeps me motivated. Outside of work, I love spending time with my stepdaughter, Ali, who is now a young adult. We both enjoy concerts and Disneyland, so we go as often as possible. Some of our favorite concerts have included Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour (in Las Vegas), Katy Perry, and Twenty One Pilots, and we also go to the BottleRock music festival in Napa nearly every year.

Despite investing significant resources in sharing data with their contracted health plans, healthcare providers often face an uphill battle to maintain accurate provider directories that consumers rely on to access care. That’s why leading California health plans and provider organizations have turned to the Symphony Provider Directory. Symphony helps unite providers with health plans to improve directory data exchange. Swipe through ?? to learn how Symphony is saving time and increasing patient access.

Is your community health center looking to optimize your revenue cycle to better leverage value-based payment systems? Take the guesswork out of your improvement efforts with a new quick reference guide developed by the California Medical Association Physician Services Organization. This tool helps you evaluate your EHR and revenue cycle tools across 8 critical areas, including financial goals, billing efficiency, and reporting capabilities. Visit IHA’s Encounter Data Resource Hub today to access this free resource! https://hubs.li/Q03clGRb0

Did you know that fear of discrimination has resulted in 28% of TGI (transgender, gender-diverse, and intersex) individuals not seeking or receiving timely care? SB 923, the TGI Inclusive Care Act, aims to address this by creating a more inclusive healthcare system and improving access to gender-affirming care. It requires health plans to: - Include a list of in-network providers who offer gender-affirming services in their directories - Provide cultural competency training for patient-facing staff Symphony supports compliance with SB 923, helping providers seamlessly attest to the gender-affirming services in the regulation and helping plans attest to completion of cultural competency training Learn how Symphony supports compliance with SB 923 and other relevant provider directory regulations: https://hubs.li/Q03brg0H0

1 in 3 people who should get checked for colorectal cancer don’t. This #ColorectalCancerAwarenessMonth, prioritize your health by getting screened. Routine screening is the most effective way to reduce your risk and catch the disease early when treatment works best. That’s why colorectal cancer screening is among a focused set of high-priority clinical quality measures included in IHA’s Align Measure. Perform. (AMP) program and other statewide healthcare accountability programs. If you’re 45 or older, talk to your doctor about which screening option is right for you.

Congratulations to the recipients of our Align. Measure. Perform. (AMP) program Medicare Advantage awards. These hard-working California provider organizations were recognized for earning an overall Medicare Advantage star rating of 5 or 4.5 stars against national benchmarks. We also honored provider organizations that improved by at least ? a star over last year. Swipe through to see the full list of honorees!

Unpaid medical bills are the largest source of debt reported to collections agencies and disproportionately affect uninsured and underinsured people. A new national standard finalized under the outgoing Biden administration bans credit agencies from including medical debt on most consumer credit reports. Although the medical debt rule is currently on hold under the new administration, it has received bipartisan support. The Commonwealth Fund explains the rule and outlines potential policy solutions to reducing the accumulation of medical debt in the first place. https://hubs.li/Q038SQX60

Symphony is excited to sponsor California Association of Health Plans' Shaping the Future of Behavioral Health seminar on March 26 in Burbank, California! We'll be joining other industry experts to discuss challenges, perspectives, and best practices for strengthening California's behavioral healthcare system and improving access. Comment below??or reach out to [email protected] ??if you're attending and want to connect with our team at the event! If you haven't registered yet, there's still time: https://hubs.li/Q038jnf_0

In California, there's a new bill on the scene aiming to improve provider directory accuracy: AB 280. The bill would require health plans to annually audit and verify the information in their provider directories and establish accuracy benchmarks and associated penalties. The goal is to create a more effective enforcement mechanism for inaccurate provider directories, which create confusion and negatively impact patient access to critical healthcare services. Symphony is monitoring the bill's progress and providing support to key stakeholders, drawing on our experience improving provider directory data quality and exchange through a centralized directory. Check out this fact sheet from Health Access California learn more about AB 280: https://hubs.li/Q0381L820

A novel collaboration between three California health plans holds the potential to reshape primary care payment. We’re excited to see the California Advanced Primary Care Initiative, led by IHA and the California Quality Collaborative, continue to make a splash across the industry. In the latest Healthcare Innovation article, IHA’s General Manager of Performance Measurement Programs, Dolores Yanagihara, sat down with reporter Mark Haglund to share her perspective on: - The importance of a common reporting platform to make provider participation in the initiative easier - The ability to collect claims data from disparate sources and link it to claims data for a more complete and accurate picture of healthcare performance - The need to provide training and support to practices on population health management Read the article to learn how the initiative is moving value-based reimbursement for primary care forward: https://hubs.li/Q037sCsz0