Historically, most health care reimbursement transformations have originated as national pilot programs. But with states beginning to craft their own models—for instance, the Arkansas episode-based payment initiative—it’s important that you understand the impact that state-mandated reform will have on reimbursement.

Though the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Initiative shares some elements in common with Arkansas’s Health Care Payment Improvement Initiative, there are key differences. Organizations that watch only the federal program are likely to be blind-sided by this bottom-up revolution.

Don’t fly blind. Review our guide to the Arkansas Health Care Payment Improvement Initiative to learn three lessons about preparing for state payment reform.