Center for Value-Based Insurance Design

What Center for Value-Based Insurance Design does

The Center for Value-Based Insurance Design (V-BID Center) is a nonprofit academic research center housed at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, founded in 2005 to develop, implement, and evaluate clinically nuanced health benefit designs. The Center originated and named the Value-Based Insurance Design (V-BID) concept, which restructures patient cost-sharing based on the clinical value of services rather than applying uniform co-pays — promoting lower or zero cost-sharing for high-value preventive and chronic care services and higher cost-sharing for low-value care. Its work spans initiatives in cancer screening, obesity management, low-value care reduction, HSA-eligible HDHPs, Medicare Advantage, state Medicaid plans, and TRICARE.

The Center's outputs are educational and policy-oriented rather than technology products. Its portfolio includes a publications library (1-pagers, briefs, white papers, infographics, testimonies), the V-BID TV video platform with animated explainers and webinars, an annual virtual V-BID Summit that has run for 20+ years and attracted 300+ participants in 2026, and a weekly newsletter. The director, Dr. A. Mark Fendrick, has authored over 250 articles and book chapters and coined the V-BID terminology. The Center's research has directly informed major federal policy including the ACA preventive services mandate, Medicare Part D reforms, IRS HSA-HDHP rules, the CMS colonoscopy cost-sharing waiver, and elements of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

The business model is nonprofit sponsorship- and donation-funded. The Center does not sell commercial products or services; it accepts sponsorships for its annual summit (Platinum $100,000, Silver $20,000 tiers) and donations for ongoing operations. Sponsor and partner relationships span pharmaceutical companies (Merck, Pfizer, Sanofi, J&J, GSK, Eli Lilly, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb), health insurers (Blue Shield of California, EmblemHealth), the trade association PhRMA, consultancies (Milliman, The Lewin Group), academic partners (Harvard Medical School), and federal agencies (CMS). The Center operates as a thought-leadership and policy-advocacy organization rather than a commercial entity.

Name

Center for Value-Based Insurance Design

Legal name

Center for Value-Based Insurance Design

Website

https://vbidcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Center for Value-Based Insurance Design is a University of Michigan-affiliated nonprofit research center that develops, implements, and evaluates clinically nuanced health benefit designs balancing cost and quality, serving policymakers, employers, health plans, and federal agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Policy Research

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Health and Welfare Funds (525120)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Hospital & Medical Service Plans (6324)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYFSAIAFAE

Large Group Health Insurance (Mid-Market & National Accounts)

Financial & Insurance/Insurance — Life & Health/Group Health Insurance (Employer-Sponsored)

SECONDARYHLALADAJ

Care Navigation, Advocacy & Benefits Guidance Platforms

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Telehealth Platforms/Employer-Sponsored Virtual Care Platforms

Keywords

• Value-based insurance design
• Health benefit design research
• Preventive care coverage policy
• Clinically nuanced insurance
• Healthcare cost-sharing research

Headquarters

HQ city

Ann Arbor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Sponsorships and Donations: The Center accepts donations and sponsorships for its annual V-BID Summits and ongoing operations. Sponsorship tiers range from Platinum ($100,000) to Silver ($20,000) for annual summits.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The V-BID Center conducts research, policy advocacy, and education on Value-Based Insurance Design (V-BID), an approach that structures health insurance cost-sharing based on the clinical value of services—lowering or eliminating cost-sharing for high-value care and applying higher cost-sharing to low-value services. It disseminates this work through publications, an annual Virtual V-BID Summit, the V-BID TV video platform, policy initiatives, and direct engagement with payers, employers, and federal/state policymakers.

Product overview

The Center for Value-Based Insurance Design (V-BID Center) at the University of Michigan is a research and policy organization, not a commercial product company. It operates as a multidisciplinary academic center that promotes the development, implementation, and evaluation of health benefit designs balancing cost and quality. The center offers educational content, research publications, annual summits, and various policy initiatives rather than a unified technology product. Its portfolio includes the V-BID TV video platform, publications library, virtual summit conferences, and focused policy initiatives addressing healthcare topics like cancer screening, obesity management, and Medicare reform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• V-BID Center Publications Library A free-access content library of V-BID research and educational resources (1-Pagers, Annual Reviews, Briefs, White Papers, Infographics, Testimonies) for healthcare stakeholders, policymakers, payers, employers, providers, and academic audiences.
• V-BID TV Video platform featuring animated explainers, Clinical Nuance content, Drug Cost Iceberg, HSA-HDHP education, Low-Value Care awareness, Medicare Advantage, Precision Care, State Medicaid Plans, State Employee Health Plans, TRICARE, V-BID X, Fridays with Fendrick, and V-BID Center webinars for healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public.
• Annual Virtual V-BID Summit A sponsored annual virtual conference convening healthcare stakeholders on value-based insurance design, featuring expert panels on Medicare Advantage, preventive care, health equity, and policy reforms; attended by 300+ participants at the 2026 edition.
• V-BID Center Weekly Newsletter A recurring newsletter providing analysis of healthcare policy developments, research summaries, and Center updates to subscribers across healthcare policy, payer, employer, and provider audiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• Guided V-BID from concept to widespread adoption across private and public health sectors over 20+ years
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of MichigancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe V-BID Center is an official center of the University of Michigan, housed within the School of Medicine and School of Public Health. The Center leverages University resources and academic credibility.
• MerckminorOthersPharmaceutical company sponsor of V-BID Summit 2022. Logo displayed as summit sponsor.
• GSKminorOthersPharmaceutical company sponsor of V-BID Summit 2022. Logo displayed as summit sponsor.
• PfizerminorOthersPharmaceutical company sponsor of V-BID Summit 2022. Logo displayed as summit sponsor.
• SanofiminorOthersPharmaceutical company sponsor of V-BID Summit 2022 and 2023. Logo displayed as summit sponsor.
• Eli LillyminorOthersPharmaceutical company sponsor of V-BID Summit 2022. Logo displayed as summit sponsor.
• Janssen (Johnson & Johnson)minorOthersPharmaceutical company sponsor of V-BID Summit 2022 and 2023. Logo displayed as summit sponsor.
• Boehringer IngelheimminorOthersPharmaceutical company sponsor of V-BID Summit 2022 and 2023. Logo displayed as summit sponsor.
• Bristol-Myers SquibbminorOthersPharmaceutical company sponsor of V-BID Summit 2022. Logo displayed as summit sponsor.
• Blue Shield of CaliforniaminorOthersHealth insurer sponsor of V-BID Summit 2022. Logo displayed as summit sponsor.
• EmblemHealthminorOthersHealth insurer sponsor of V-BID Summit 2022 and 2023. Logo displayed as summit sponsor.
• Better Medicare AllianceminorOthersMedicare advocacy organization sponsor of V-BID Summit 2023. Logo displayed as summit sponsor.
• PhRMAminorOthersPharmaceutical trade association sponsor of V-BID Summit 2022 and 2023. Logo displayed as summit sponsor.
• Commonwealth FundminorOthersHealthcare philanthropy organization featured in V-BID Summit 2022 and newsletter content sharing research findings.
• MillimanminorOthersActuarial consulting firm sponsor of V-BID Summit 2022 and 2023. Logo displayed as summit sponsor.
• The Lewin GroupminorOthersHealthcare policy consulting firm. Dr. Cliff Goodman, Senior Vice President, serves as moderator for V-BID Summits.
• Johnson & Johnson Innovative MedicineminorOthersPharmaceutical company sponsor of V-BID Summit 2025. Logo and sponsorship tier displayed.
• Innovation and Value Initiative (IVI)minorOthersHealthcare value research organization. Jennifer Bright, CEO, participated as panelist at 2023 V-BID Summit.
• Harvard Medical SchoolminorOthersDr. Michael Chernew, Director of Healthcare Markets and Regulation Lab at Harvard Medical School, provides closing remarks at V-BID Summit 2023.
• CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMS representatives participate in V-BID Summit panels and the Center's research directly informs Medicare policy including alternative payment models and preventive care coverage.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/um_vbid
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCDK_kSGoVKb7OSMLhOBxenw
• Facebookfacebook.com/umvbid
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-for-value-based-insurance-design

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Center for Value-Based Insurance Design