President and CEO of Regence Endorses Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt's Value-Driven Health Care Initiative
Posted on: Thursday, 4 January 2007, 12:00 CST
PORTLAND, Ore., Jan. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Mark Ganz, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Regence, will join regional business leaders to endorse the Value-Driven Health Care Initiative, created by Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt. Ganz is one of 15 business leaders who will officially sign the initiative at the Oregon Business Plan's fifth annual Oregon Leadership Summit.
Regence is the largest not-for-profit health insurer in the Northwest/Mountain State region, serving nearly three million members in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Utah.
"Our support of this initiative reflects Regence's commitment to driving change throughout the health care system," said Ganz. "As stewards of our communities' resources, we are responsible for making sure consumers have the tools and information they need to make more informed decisions about their care. We are proud to contribute to a better health care system not only in our region, but across the United States."
Secretary Leavitt's Value-Driven Health Care Initiative is intended to drive better value in health care through action across the spectrum of the U.S. economy. This includes commitment to four "cornerstone" goals by private and public employers and health plans, by state Medicaid programs and by consumer and employee organizations.
"I am proud that Regence is choosing to support these four cornerstones to achieve better health care and better value for employees and their families," Secretary Leavitt said.
Last August, President Bush signed an executive order committing federal health care programs to the four "cornerstone" goals. Medicare, the Veterans Affairs health system, the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program and certain other federal health care programs will begin delivering on the four goals in the coming year.
With the Value-Driven Health Care Initiative, Secretary Leavitt has called on employers to make a similar commitment to these four goals, including:
1. Standards for connecting health information technology, making it possible to share patient health information securely and seamlessly among health care providers.
2. Quality of care reporting, so that health care providers as well as the public can learn how well each provider measures up in delivering care.
3. Providing costs of health services in advance, so that when patients choose routine and elective care, they can make comparisons on the basis of both quality and how much of the total cost they will have to pay under their health plan.
4. Providing incentives for quality care at competitive prices, as in payments to providers based on the quality of their services, or insurance options that reward consumers for choosing on the basis of quality and cost.
Ganz and other supporters of the initiative will participate in an official signing ceremony from 8:15 - 8:45 a.m. on January 4. This event takes place in Room E-145 at the Oregon Convention Center and is part of a Portland Business Alliance Breakfast. They will also participate in a press conference from 10:00 - 10:20 a.m., where they will be available to answer questions and be photographed or interviewed on camera.
About Regence
Created in 1995, Regence is the largest health insurer in the Pacific Northwest/Mountain State region. It includes Regence BlueShield of Idaho, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah and Regence BlueShield (in Washington). Through these plans, Regence provides health, life, vision, dental and long-term care insurance to nearly three million members. Regence plans are not-for-profit, independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. More than one in three Americans have coverage from the Blues. For more information, visit http://www.regence.com/.
Regence
CONTACT: Angela Hult of Regence, +1-503-250-1026
Web site: http://www.regence.com/
Source: PRNewswire
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