Donald Trump would let Congress dictate health policy, Marilyn Tavenner says

Former Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator Marilyn Tavenner on Wednesday said she doesn't think Donald Trump would dictate healthcare policy changes himself if he is elected president in November.

"My belief is he'll probably defer to Congress on health policy," she said during her keynote address at the McKesson Health Solutions Conference in Orlando, Florida. Tavenner currently leads America's Health Insurance Plans, an advocacy organizations for the insurance industry.

On the other hand, Tavenner said former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would likely lead health policy changes herself if elected.

"She's probably got health policy on steroids and I think we all know what would happen with her going forward as it's related to health policy," she said. The AHIP chief favors Clinton in the election, and called out Trump for being less transparent about health policy.

[Also: Voters trust Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump on healthcare, Kaiser survey finds]

No matter the outcome, Tavenner said AHIP plans to bring its ideas for changing health policy to the newly elected Congress. Chief among them is the need to simplify requirements that many new policies place on the industry.

Still, Tavenner said the planned rollout Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act requirements shows the federal government's commitment to value-based reimbursement.

Physicians implementing MACRA objectives have two programs of quality payments to choose from. They can use the Merit-based Incentive Payment System or join Advanced Alternative Payment Models, but most physicians are expected to choose the easier MIPS program to start.

But Tavenner said physicians should transition to APMs such as accountable care organizations as soon as they can.

"Learning the current system and thinking you're going to stay in that system is not a good place to be," she said.

Partnerships with physicians, hospitals and health systems are what's needed to make payment for value work, she said. To be successful, there needs to be a commitment from the top; health IT improvements, upfront capital, and education.

Either way, Tavenner said healthcare organizations must show a willingness to participate in value models if they are going to succeed.

"I don't think that our country or CMS or our system is physically capable of going back to a fee-for-service program," Tavenner said.

Twitter: @SusanJMorse