Health Care Cost

Farzad Mostashari, MD, visiting fellow, Brookings Institution, former national coordinator for health information technology (HIT), US Department of Health and Human Services, says we need to have payment reform to support the success of HIT.

Oncology clinical pathways have helped health plans deliver quality care while keeping an eye on costs. The lack of standardization in pathways can be cumbersome on a busy oncology practice. If Medicare adopts a pathways model, it could offer a framework for broader use.

Nearly half of the organizations in the CMS' largest test of accountable care slowed Medicare spending, but just 29 of 114 ACOs saved enough to receive bonus payments, the agency said.

Moving healthcare reimbursement from fee-for-service to a system that rewards quality care is easier said than done, but tools are emerging to help the cause. Three expert commentators featured in the inaugural issue of The American Journal of Accountable Care examined the challenges providers face, as they are being ask to share risk under new contracts with accountable care organizations, or ACOs.

On this day in 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Medicare program into law. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has played a significant role in how the Medicare program operates as healthcare continues to be reformed.

Dramatic changes in medical payment and economics began with the passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010. Cardiologists weighed in on how this law is expected to impact upon their treatment decisions and business economics.

Recognizing shared features of 2 Medicare payment reform strategies, premium support and global payment, may help us focus on, and resolve, the differences.

There are many different payment reform models that are discussed by payers and providers on a regular basis. This is a review of the progress being made in regards to the hospital value-based purchasing (VBP) model, which rewards acute-care hospitals with incentive payments for the quality of care they provide to patients with Medicare.

As what happens many times when cancer drugs gain FDA approval, the statistically significant improvements in regards to prolonging patients' lives is often offset by high drug costs, which makes it difficult for drug companies and payers to provide patients access to lifesaving treatments. But what can be done to improve access to affordable care?

Panelists agree that congress does not want these cuts in physician payment rates and Medicare.

The panel members discuss the question of how much would it cost to abolish the SGR.

Payment reform may be used to better align appropriate financial incentives with better quality of care.

When aggregated data regarding health outcomes are shared, a clearer picture emerges of provider performance baselines and improvements with which payment models can be developed.