Establishing the Working Group for Healthcare Innovation

WHEREAS, Rhode Islanders have access to some of the finest healthcare services in the world, but rising healthcare costs are a major concern; and

WHEREAS, improvement of public health is essential to the prosperity of Rhode Island; and

WHEREAS, Rhode Island's business community depends on a sustainable, high quality healthcare system; and

WHEREAS, Rhode Island is committed to achieving health reform's "Triple Aim," namely improving the health of the population, enhancing the patient experience, and lowering per-capita healthcare costs; and

WHEREAS, the federal government is working to expand alternative payment models, better reward providers for quality of care, and deliver the best outcomes for patients; and the federal government has announced goals to move 50% of all Medicare payments to alternative payment models by 2018 ; and

WHEREAS, a broadly representative group of healthcare leaders throughout the State called for statewide payment reform goals, statewide progress targets, and statewide tracking metrics; and

WHEREAS, it is critical to coordinate the wide variety of successful healthcare initiatives currently underway in Rhode Island; and

WHEREAS, Rhode Island must continue to build on the Working Group to Reinvent Medicaid's strong foundation of Medicaid reform and commit to providing every Rhode Islander with better access to healthcare, better quality of healthcare, and more affordable healthcare; and

WHEREAS, a statewide healthcare spending cap will provide much-needed predictability for healthcare expenses; and

WHEREAS, Rhode Island is committed to continuing the work of healthcare reform by encouraging the use of value-based and alternative payment models, increasing the adoption of next-generation healthcare information technology, and improving patient outcomes through better coordination of healthcare; and

WHEREAS, Rhode Island can remain focused on providing people across the State with high quality care by establishing concrete goals for population health; and

WHEREAS, high-quality, affordable healthcare is helpful only to those with access to healthcare, and the State must ensure that all Rhode Islanders can access the care they need in the most appropriate setting and in a timely fashion; and

WHEREAS, any successful strategy to improve healthcare must address the challenges of improving health equity and reducing health disparities throughout the State, which requires an accounting of the social determinants of health.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gina M. Raimondo, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, do hereby order and direct the following:

A. Working Group for Healthcare Innovation

1. There is hereby established The Working Group for Healthcare Innovation ("Working Group") that shall exist for the purpose of advising the Governor.
   
    
2. The members and chair of the Working Group shall be appointed by the Governor and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The membership shall include, but not be limited to, stakeholders with expertise in areas such as:
   
   1. Healthcare delivery;
   2. Patient and consumer rights;
   3. Healthcare insurance;
   4. Public health;
   5. Healthcare workforce;
   6. Healthcare policy;
   7. Healthcare information technology;
   8. Economics;
   9. Business;
   10. Health disparities; and
   11. Other relevant areas.
       
        
3. The Working Group shall engage and solicit input from a broad and ·diverse range of groups, organizations, and individuals. 4. Executive Order 11-04, "Rhode Island Healthcare Reform Commission" is hereby repealed.

B. Cooperation with the Working Group

1. All departments, offices, boards, and agencies of the State shall provide assistance and cooperation to the Working Group, including use of State facilities, which may be necessary to fulfill the purposes of this Executive Order.
   
    
2. All departments, offices, boards, and agencies shall provide staff support necessary for the Working Group

C. Duties and Purpose

1. The Working Group shall evaluate and propose specific recommendations concerning the implementation of a statewide healthcare spending cap, including possible legislation to implement such a cap. The proposed target shall apply to all healthcare spending within the State, both publicly and privately funded.
   
    
2. The Working Group shall make recommendations for encouraging the adoption of alternative and value-based payments and next-generation health information technology systems for all payers, with the goal of having 80% of Rhode Island healthcare spending be through a value-based contract by 2018.
   
    
3. The Working Group shall coordinate with State agencies to establish a performance management framework for our healthcare system. The Working Group's recommendations shall include the establishment of statewide baselines and goals for population health based on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Healthy People 2020 goals, including, but not limited to recommendations to accomplish specific reductions in obesity, diabetes, HIV and other infectious diseases, substance abuse, and tobacco usage, as well as improving health equity and reducing health disparities.
   
    
4. The Working Group shall study access to healthcare in Rhode Island and include recommendations to improve access among all Rhode Islanders, including people in disadvantaged communities.
   
    
5. The Working Group shall identify opportunities to reduce waste and overcapacity in the State's healthcare system, including through the review of regulatory requirements.
   
    
6. The Working Group's meetings shall be public meetings. Members of the Working Group may be assigned to committees consistent with their areas of expertise and interest. Persons with relevant expertise from within and outside Rhode Island may be recruited to participate in such committees whether or not they are members of the Working Group.
   
    
7. The Working Group shall coordinate the work of other healthcare reform efforts in the State and shall serve as the primary coordinating body for all healthcare reform efforts ongoing within Rhode Island government.
   
    
8. The Working Group shall begin its work immediately. The Working Group shall produce its first report on or about December 1, 2015

This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

So Ordered,

Gina M. Raimondo

Governor