Looking Ahead To The Era Of Configured Networks

Last week, Deborah Adler, the Senior Vice President, Network Strategy, at Optum Behavioral Health, provided an update on some key elements of Optum’s network development strategy in her keynote at the mhca fall conference, "Industry Network Trends." My big takeaway was the concept of the "configured" network and its implications for both consumers and the managers of provider organizations.

Ms. Adler said that the bundled rate initiatives have been in place three years and will be a big focus going forward. The current bundled rate payments are largely focused on community-based medication-assisted addiction treatment, which they have . . .