The Latest Reports in Health Policy | Reports Examine P4P, Health Care Disparities

Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report

[May 31, 2006]

"Pay for Performance: A Decision Guide for Purchasers," Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: The AHRQ guide examines the decisions public and private purchasers of health care services must make in designing and implementing pay-for-performance programs. The guide lists 20 questions in four phases: contemplation, design, implementation and evaluation. Each question reviews the possible options, potential effects and consequences, and offers evidence from empirical evaluations and economic theory to help purchasers make informed decisions (AHRQ, "Pay for Performance: A Decision Guide for Purchasers," April 2006).
"Evidence into Policy and Practice? Measuring the Progress of U.S. and U.K. Policies to Tackle Disparities and Inequalities in U.S. and U.K. Health and Health Care," Milbank Quarterly: In a Milbank Quarterly study supported by the Commonwealth Fund, researchers led by Mark Exworthy of the University of London analyze efforts in the U.S. and U.K. to eliminate disparities in health care across different populations. The report outlines measures in both countries to address health care disparities, tracks the progress of such measures and details the challenges in implementing such policies. The report suggests that there is an increased interest among government and health officials to implement policies aimed at reducing health care disparities. The authors conclude that it is too soon to predict how well policymakers' efforts will help to reduce the disparities because measurement tools in both countries are new and are not widely used (Exworthy et al., Milbank Quarterly, March 2006).

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