The Latest Reports in Health Policy | <cite>JAMA</cite> Commentary Examines Pay-for-Population System for Health Care; Reports Examine Health Data Collection, Racial and Ethnics Health Disparities, Different Care Systems

Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report

The Latest Reports in Health Policy | JAMA Commentary Examines Pay-for-Population System for Health Care; Reports Examine Health Data Collection, Racial and Ethnics Health Disparities, Different Care Systems

[Dec 06, 2006]

"A Pay-for-Population Health Performance System," Journal of the American Medical Association: David Kindig of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in a JAMA commentary writes that to make a real impact on disparities in U.S. health care and to balance out cost of care and health outcomes, the nation should begin with a pay-for-performance system and transition into a "pay-for-population" system. Kindig cites several challenges to instituting a pay-for-population system -- including determining health measures, financial incentives and unintended consequences; vertically integrating the system across medical care and other sectors; and quelling resistance to reallocation of resources (Kindig, Journal of the American Medical Association, 12/6).
" Collection and Use of Race and Ethnicity Data for Quality Improvement," America's Health Insurance Plans/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Two-thirds of U.S. consumers have health insurance coverage through a company that collects data on the race and ethnicity of members, compared with slightly more than half three years ago, according to new study released by AHIP and RWJF. Using a grant from RWJF, AHIP conducted a follow up to a 2003 survey and received responses from 156 companies providing health coverage to employer groups and public health insurance programs. According to the study, companies use the racial and ethnic data to develop communications that are language and culturally appropriate, identify racial and ethnic health disparities, and create or strengthen quality of care improvements. The study notes that while there has been progress, barriers to racial and ethnic data collection still exist , including community perception, problems in obtaining reliable data and legal or regulatory limitations (AHIP/RWJF release, 12/5).
"Strengthening Medicare's Role in Reducing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities," National Academy of Social Insurance: Medicare should play a more prominent role in reducing disparities in the U.S. health care system, according to a report by an independent panel of the National Academy of Social Insurance chaired by Bruce Vladeck, interim president of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. The report outlines recommendations in five target categories that would reduce racial and ethnic health care disparities in the U.S. (Vladeck et al., "Strengthening Medicare's Role in Reducing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities," 12/5).
"Value-Based Coverage Policy in the United States and the United Kingdom: Different Paths to a Common Goal," National Health Policy Forum: In a background paper, Wilhelmine Miller of the George Washington University National Health Policy Forum outlines how two approaches to health care, the evidence-based approach and the value-based approach, have influenced coverage decisions by public and private insurers. The paper contrasts these approaches in the U.S. with the United Kingdom's single-payer system, the National Health Service (Miller, "Value-Based Coverage Policy in the United States and the United Kingdom: Different Paths to a Common Goal," 11/29).

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