Integrating Maternity Care Through Bundled Payments In The Netherlands: Early Results And Policy Lessons

Bundled payments are increasingly used globally to move health care delivery in a value-based direction. However, evidence remains scant in key clinical areas. We evaluated bundled payments for maternity care in the Netherlands during the period 2016-18. We used a quasi-experimental difference-in-differences design to measure the association between the bundled payment model and changes in key clinical and economic outcomes. Bundled payments were associated with an increase in outpatient, midwife-led births and a reduction in in-hospital, obstetrician-led births, along with changes in the use of labor inductions and planned versus emergency cesarean deliveries. Total spending on maternity care decreased by US$328 (5 percent) per pregnancy. No changes in maternal or neonatal health outcomes were observed. Several policy lessons emerged. First, bundled payments appeared to help affect providers' behavior in the maternity care setting. Second, bundled payments seemed to exert heterogeneous effects across participating maternity care networks, as the same financial incentive translated into different changes in clinical practices and outcomes. Third, alternative payment models should be designed with clear goals and definitions of success to guide evaluation and implementation.