DCCED is soliciting proposals from qualified contractors for a report identifying the cost drivers of primary care delivery and recommendations to improve access to primary care within Alaska. The report will be based upon a comprehensive evaluation of overall operating costs for the delivery of primary care services by health care providers located in Alaska. In this context, primary care also includes behavioral health, pediatric, prenatal/obstetrical, and dental care. Health care providers include all levels of practitioners, including mid-level practitioners and support professionals such as APRNs, MAs, CHA/Ps. The evaluation must include how health care providers and health care payers are impacted by state and federal laws and regulations, as well as how primary care operations are impacted by the payer mix and various payment models. In this context, health care payers include commercial market insurers, Alaska Medicaid, Medicare, Alaska Tribal Health Organizations/Indian Health Service, Veterans Affairs and TRICARE, employer self-funded health plans, and uncompensated care. The evaluation must address how pressures on payers, individually and as a group, impact other payers. The evaluation must also include the cost drivers specific to Alaska and a comparison of operating costs for primary care providers in the lower-48. Starting in May 2024, the Division of Insurance met with primary care providers throughout the state to listen to their concerns and learn about the challenges they face in providing primary care in Alaska. Those meetings have informed this RFP. The proposal’s intent is to evaluate Alaska-specific primary care provider operating costs, identify the cost drivers, and make recommendations on how to increase access to primary care for all Alaskans.. The contractor will be required to provide the following deliverables: Deliverable 1 – Workplan The contractor will develop and provide a workplan articulating how they will complete the deliverables for the report. The contractor must provide consistent and timely reporting on workplan progress. The workplan must be approved by the state’s project manager and include at a minimum: A timeline. Workplan activities and identification of responsible parties Trackable milestones Opportunities for primary care health care provider and other stakeholder engagement and feedback Public comment process Deliverable 2 – Initial Research and Primary Care Provider Engagement Activities The contractor will undertake research activities necessary to build the foundation to develop the draft and final report. This includes at a minimum: Research, examination of existing resources, evaluation of current assumptions, and review of state and other factors that should inform development of the final recommendations. Engaging with primary care health care providers to solicit feedback and comments. The contractor will provide administrative and technical support for: Meetings (virtual and/or in-person) Informational sessions Surveys Deliverable 3 – Draft Report A report in draft form that includes at a minimum: The proposed organization of the Final Report (Deliverable 5) Explanation of the contractor’s process, findings, analytical conclusions, and recommendations.
