By: Silke Schoch, Director, Research & Programs, National Health Council  

Understanding and defining the value of health care interventions has become a priority in the health care ecosystem as the traditional fee-for-service payment system transitions to value-based payment arrangements.  

Payers using value assessments to inform reimbursement and coverage decisions can affect the treatment options available to patients and their families. Patient voices and perspectives should be centered in the development of value models. 

In 2016, the National Health Council (NHC) launched its Value Classroom, which consists of eight documents, glossaries, and infographics intended to educate patient organizations about important topics in patient-centered value assessment. These include a Patient-Centered Value Model Rubric, Health Economics 101 modules, and a Value Framework Get-Ready Checklist.  

As the value assessment environment has shifted, especially with the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (2022), the NHC has set out to update our value tools and offer new trainings, infographics, and webinars. These new materials will be launched on our website in October 2024.  

In the meantime, anyone interested in patient-centered value assessment should tune into Patient-Centered Value Assessment and Alternatives to the QALY: A Four-Part Webinar Series. There are three webinars remaining in this series:  

• Sept. 19, 12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. ET: Alternatives to the QALY – Generalized Risk-Adjusted QALY (GRA-QALY) with Darius N. Lakdawalla, PhD, Quintiles Professor of Pharmaceutical Development and Regulatory Innovation, University of Southern California 

• Sept. 26, 12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. ET: Alternatives to the QALY – Health Years in Total (HYT) with Anirban Basu, PhD, Stergachis Family Endowed Director & Professor of Health Economics, University of Washington 

• Oct. 2, 1:00 – 1:45 p.m. ET: Alternatives to the QALY – Equal Value Life-Year (evLY) with Daniel Ollendorf, PhD, MPH, Chief Scientific Officer and Director of Health Technology Assessment Methods and Engagement, ICER