- 2027 Medicare Advantage Advance Notice Requests Feedback on Low-Value Care
- Impact of Self-Reported Patient-Provider Communication on the Use of High- & LVC
- Identifying, measuring & reducing LVC in context of health system performance assessment
- VA Clinicians’ Perspectives on Low-Value Health Service Use in the Veteran Health Admin.
- Benjamin Ippolito advocates to reduce low-value care spending in Medicare
- Use of High- and LVC Among Traditional Medicare Beneficiaries With and Without Medigap
2027 Medicare Advantage Advance Notice Requests Feedback on Low-Value Care
Section H. Efforts to Simplify and Refocus the Measure Set to Improve the Impact of the Star Ratings Program – As the Star Ratings program continues to evolve, we are soliciting feedback on new measures or measurement concepts that would incentivize plans from providing unnecessary, inappropriate, or low-value care. We are also interested in measures related to medical errors or misdiagnoses. This could include measures focused on the clinical appropriateness of care or measures focused on ensuring diagnoses are not missed.
Impact of Self-Reported Patient-Provider Communication on the Use of High- and Low-Value Care among U.S. Adults
A recent American Journal of Preventive Medicine article examined whether better patient–provider communication is associated with the use of high- and low-value care among U.S. adults, finding that patients reporting stronger communication were consistently more likely to receive recommended, high-value services. However, the study found mixed effects on low-value care—some unnecessary services decreased while others increased—suggesting that while improving communication can promote appropriate care, additional targeted strategies are needed to reduce low-value services.
Identifying, measuring and reducing low-value care in the context of health system performance assessment
A recent European Commission report examines how to better define, measure, and reduce low-value care across European health systems, aiming to address gaps in consistent indicators and support performance assessment efforts. It finds that while countries vary widely in their ability to identify and track low-value care, adopting standardized definitions, improving data and measurement tools, and implementing coordinated, multi-pronged strategies are critical for reducing waste and improving health system efficiency and outcomes.
VA Clinicians’ Perspectives on Low-Value Health Service Use in the Veterans Health Administration: A Qualitative Study
A recent Journal of General Internal Medicine study explored VA clinicians’ views on why low‑value services persist in the Veterans Health Administration and how they might be reduced. Clinicians cited factors such as environmental pressures, social influences from patients, and beliefs about consequences as key drivers, and suggested improving care quality and access, sharing best practices, optimizing electronic records, and building a value‑focused culture as priority strategies to cut unnecessary care and inform future policy efforts.
Benjamin Ippolito advocates to reduce low-value care spending in Medicare during US House of Representatives hearing
At a recent U.S. House hearing, Benjamin Ippolito highlighted the need to curb low-value care spending in Traditional Medicare. In a written statement, Ippolito noted that wide geographic variation in service use—rather than patient needs—drives costs without improving health outcomes, and urged policymakers to expand efforts like CMS’s new “WISeR” model to monitor and reduce services that add cost but little value. Watch the hearing.
Use of High- and Low-Value Care Among Traditional Medicare Beneficiaries With and Without Medigap
A recent Health Services Research article examined whether traditional Medicare beneficiaries with Medigap supplemental coverage use more high‑ or low‑value care than those without such coverage, finding that while Medigap is associated with about $1,062 higher annual Medicare spending, it does not consistently increase use of either high‑value or low‑value services. The findings suggest that simply having supplemental insurance does not reliably promote better care choices, highlighting the need for policy reforms that align incentives in supplemental plans with evidence‑based, value‑focused care.
