Integration Holds the Promise of Better Care

Public comments on the president’s blueprint to lower drug prices are in, and they reveal a myriad of perspectives on how to address health-care costs for Americans. As director of a family caregiver organization, I hear the need for access and affordability every day, while engaging with caregivers, patients, policy makers and community members from New York to California. The proposed system-wide policy changes have the potential to move our health system forward. But it is also important to recognize opportunities to break the status quo within the health-care supply chain and bring more access, affordable quality care to people who need it now.

It makes sense to integrate care, almost creating a one-stop shop — especially if we combine unique, complementary capabilities that push the boundaries of health care today. Take, for example, the proposed merger between CVS Health, a company combining pharmacy, retail clinic and pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) capabilities, and Aetna, a major insurer. Both organizations have promised to make consuming health care more efficient, affordable, and easier on patients and their caregivers by integrating a unique subset of services and expertise.

Advocates from across chronic disease states to rural associations and patient advocacy groups like my organization have long advocated for integrated care. The fact is, we desperately need more efficient and convenient health products and services. Caregivers are often the decision-makers for the loved ones they support and spend 20 hours, on average, providing care. In fact, 13 percent of family caregivers provide 40 hours of weekly care — a full-time job on top of other commitments, including full-time jobs.

Navigating the health-care system can be complex, and identifying the right care and how to access to the right treatment can take significant time. Combining capabilities to offer quality care that is centrally accessible can save caregivers and patients some of the time required to manage illness. Integrating data and systems to help guide individuals through the health system can streamline this process. If you are filling a full-time caregiver role on top of many other roles, anything to make life easier is paramount and can enable you to better care for your loved ones, and yourself.

We also need more affordable care. Nearly half of working caregivers note increased caregiving expenses have caused them to use up most, if not all, of their savings. It is not surprising when you consider that adult day health-care services, which supplement caregiver support, cost more than $18,000 per year.

There are a number of opportunities for patients and their families to save through integration. Examples include having a deeper understanding of health-care benefits and how to maximize them, accessing lower-cost support for chronic conditions, and providing support in between doctor visits to prevent complications or hospitalizations.

Of course, the CVS Health-Aetna merger needs to deliver on its promise to be beneficial to the patient and caregiver to work — specifically reducing out-of-pocket costs and making it easier to understand and access health care in the community. I believe the potential is there to innovate in the health industry so as to better serve patients and their caregivers.

Mark Gibbons is the Senior Director for External Programs at Caregiver Action Network, the nation’s leading family caregiver organization working to improve the quality of life for the more than 90 million Americans who care for loved ones.