• Three-year partnership to increase value-based payment model adoption and improve maternal and child health outcomes in community health centers, impacting up to 1 in 5 Medicaid members

ST. LOUIS, Dec. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Centene Foundation ("The Foundation"), the philanthropic arm of Centene Corporation ("Centene") [NYSE: CNC], a healthcare enterprise focused on transforming the health of the communities it serves, today announced it has made a commitment to enter into a partnership with the National Association of Community Health Centers ("NACHC"), a leading advocacy organization advancing community-based care, to strengthen Community Health Centers (CHCs) nationwide. The Foundation will invest $3 million over three years to enhance value-based care adoption and improve maternal child health outcomes in CHCs.

CHCs deliver comprehensive, low-cost, high-quality primary care to many historically underserved populations and address barriers these populations may face to good health by providing wrap-around services, including transportation, translation, patient education, care management and connection to social services. Value-based payment models are key for the sustainability of these essential wrap-around services at health centers and thus key to improving health for their patients.

The partnership will launch with a national value-based care adoption strategy to further strengthen CHCs' ability to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care. The strategy will begin with an annual survey to assess CHCs' participation in and understanding of value-based payment models. Insights from the survey will guide the creation of a tailored learning curriculum to improve value-based care literacy, supplemented by NACHC's Elevate learning platform. The platform offers evidence-based educational content designed to improve health center proficiency in critical areas of value-based care. Findings from the survey and learning initiatives will shape case studies and guide policy and advocacy strategy recommendations. By building on the expertise and dedication of CHCs, this partnership aims to enhance their capacity to optimize resources, address disparities and advance care for underserved populations.  

As Community Health Centers advance new care delivery models, a key priority is addressing the nation's maternal and child health crisis, where stark disparities have persisted and even worsened in recent years. In tandem, this partnership will help launch a Maternal Health Innovation Exchange ("the Exchange"), which focuses on reducing racial, ethnic and geographic disparities in maternal and child health outcomes. Following a robust assessment of best practices for improving maternal and child health care delivery in CHCs, the Exchange will foster education and knowledge sharing among them. A quality improvement program spanning 18-months will then be implemented in up to 20 health centers, featuring evidence-based interventions, self-care tools and virtual care follow-ups for pregnant individuals with hypertension, diabetes or other risk factors. 

"CHCs are vital partners in care delivery who truly understand the populations we jointly serve because they are deeply embedded in the community. We're excited to strengthen our partnership with NACHC through this insights-driven program to develop innovative resources and solutions," said Centene Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sarah M. London. "By supporting value-based care adoption and improving maternal and child health interventions, we can better meet the needs of historically underserved populations while driving efficiencies that benefit patients and providers alike."

Since its founding in 1971, NACHC has grown to represent nearly 1,500 CHCs operating across 16,000 clinics and other units in urban, suburban, rural, frontier, tribal and island communities. As the largest source of primary care in the U.S., CHCs are a critical resource for vulnerable and medically underserved populations, including an estimated one in five Medicaid beneficiaries. Greater efficiency in value-based care models support CHCs in delivering high-quality care while maximizing resources. In maternal and child health, these efficiencies help expand access to timely interventions, strengthen care coordination for chronic conditions and address disparities impacting mothers and children.

"Since their inception nearly 60 years ago, CHCs have been recognized for their vital role in improving health outcomes and reducing costs. Today, they serve 32.5 million people, or one in 10 nationwide, delivering comprehensive, integrated primary care with behavioral, oral, pharmacy, specialty and enabling services that not only prevent acute and chronic illness, but also help divert patients from costly hospitalizations and emergency care. Their proactive and mission-driven approach continues to demonstrate value in both saving lives and generating a significant return on investment for communities and the health system," said NACHC President and CEO, Kyu Rhee, MD, MPP. "Now, in partnership with the Centene Foundation, we are positioned to expand value-based payment adoption to improve efficiency and capacity at health centers while improving maternal health outcomes for hundreds of thousands of pregnant individuals." 

About Centene Foundation

The Centene Foundation (the "Foundation"), a private nonprofit focused on investing in economically challenged communities, is the philanthropic arm of Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) ("Centene"). The Foundation supports projects and initiatives strategically aligned with Centene's mission-driven culture and enhances the work Centene is doing to remove the barriers to wellness that underserved and low-income populations face. The Foundation is committed to addressing social determinants of health and improving health equity in three distinct areas of focus: healthcare access, social services and education. To learn more, visit the Centene Foundation's website.

About the National Association of Community Health Centers 

NACHC is the leading innovative change agent collaborating with affiliates and partners to advance Community Health Centers as the foundation of an equitable health care system free from disparities and built on accessible, patient-governed, high-quality, integrated primary care.