Health Care Reform Legislation Amended to Include Measures That Will Ensure Quality and Control Costs
Posted on: Thursday, 6 September 2007, 18:08 CDT
Representatives for business, consumers and labor today applauded the California Legislature for taking steps to improve health care quality and control costs by amending its major reform legislation to require standardized data collection and reporting.
The new language added to Assembly Bill 8 would establish an independent commission to collect health care information from all providers in the state, including insurance companies, hospitals, nursing homes, medical groups and physicians. Building on national standards, the commission would conduct an unbiased analysis of the data and publicly report the findings.
The Pacific Business Group on Health, AARP, Consumers Union and the California Labor Federation urged the amendments as a way to address the crisis of rising costs and inconsistent quality that is part of our current health care system.
"This is an important step in making health coverage more affordable and accessible for all Californians," said Tom Porter, AARP California state director. "With the information made available by this new commission, providers will have tools to improve care, and patients will have access to information that will help them make better choices."
Bringing transparency to California's health care system will benefit those who have health insurance and those who don't.
"Research shows that making information about patient safety and medical outcomes public spurs hospitals to improve care," said Betsy Imholz, special projects director for Consumers Union. "We can achieve tremendous cost savings in our healthcare system -- literally billions of dollars -- through these quality measures."
"It isn't enough to expand coverage in California without addressing the pressing issues of cost and quality," said Peter V. Lee, CEO of the Pacific Business Group on Health. "Without building more value into our health care system, increased coverage will be unaffordable and Californians won't get the consistently high quality care they deserve. We are thrilled lawmakers now recognize that performance information is the foundation for the quality improvement and cost containment we need to make health care available to everyone."
AARP is a 38 million member advocacy organization. The Pacific Business Group on Health is a coalition of 50 of the nation's largest purchasers of health care, focused on ensuring quality health care while moderating costs. Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, is an independent, nonprofit testing, information and advocacy organization serving only the consumer.
Source: Business Wire
Related Articles
- Oregon Health Care Quality Corporation Receives Important Designation From U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- MedImpact Earns URAC Pharmacy Benefit Management Accreditation From National Leader in Health Care Quality
- Aetna's Pharmacy Benefits Management Group Recognized By URAC for Clinical Focus and Vigilance in Helping to Promote Health Care Quality
- HHS Secretary Leavitt Asks Employers to Commit to Health Care Quality and Cost Reporting for Employees
- National Symposium Explores Advances in Health Care Quality
- Leaders in Patient Safety and Health Care Quality Call for Pilot Projects for Special Health Courts
- Premera Blue Cross 2005 Quality Score Card: an Updated Snapshot of Health Care Quality in Washington
- Senate Passes Bill S. 1418 'Wired for Health Care Quality Act' Mandating Electronic Health Records for Every American
- Care Improves Across Minnesota; 2005 Health Care Quality Report Now Public
- NCQA Report Shows Health Care Quality Up, But Enrollment Down In Plans That Report On Performance
 |
 |
User Comments (0)
RSS Feeds