Physicians Speak: How Medicare Advantage Supports Better Care
At Better Medicare Alliance, we believe some of the best advocates for Medicare Advantage are the people who work within the program every day – like physicians on the front lines of care.
Our newest video features perspectives from two physician leaders: Dr. Joseph Allen, a family physician with Premier Health, and Dr. Kyle Lamb, medical director for population health at The Vancouver Clinic. Together, they share how value-based arrangements in Medicare Advantage are delivering better outcomes for patients and providers alike.
“When you boil down a Medicare Advantage program… our goal is to keep patients out of the hospital, keep them healthy,” says Dr. Allen. “If we can reduce the number of hospitalizations from 10 to two and make them meaningful, it has a wonderful impact for the patient, their families, and the folks providing care. We feel like we’re doing something well.”
Dr. Lamb echoes that sentiment:
“We know that model is both improving outcomes and lowering total cost of care — and the satisfaction is just off the charts for the patients.”
Both physicians emphasize how value-based care in Medicare Advantage is reshaping the provider experience, too. Innovative arrangements with provider groups give clinicians the time and flexibility to build relationships with patients and intervene before problems escalate.
“It allows us to back off a bit on volume-related pressures,” says Dr. Lamb. “That’s been an absolute game changer for our high-complexity Medicare Advantage patients.”
“For me, the difference really is I’m not here to do sick care all the time,” adds Dr. Allen. “I can get back to my roots as a primary care physician of doing preventive care. That reinvigorated my love for medicine.”
At a time of rising health costs and challenges, this video shows how Medicare Advantage is delivering on what health care should be: focused on prevention, coordinated across providers, and centered on the whole person.
Watch the full video: