Rethinking Value-Based Payment and Care in the Rural Ambulatory Safety Net

Advancing payment and delivery reform in the ambulatory safety net in rural areas presents unique challenges and will require solutions specific to this context, for both primary care and behavioral health. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) sponsored the Delta Center to conduct an environmental scan about how to best advance value-based payment and care (VBP/C) in rural areas. This scan first describes the current status and challenges of payment and delivery transformation for the rural ambulatory care safety net (community health centers and behavioral health organizations). It then identifies potential high impact opportunities for policymakers and funders to advance rural safety net delivery and payment transformation.