Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
A Decade-Old Experiment To Control Massachusetts' Health Care Costs Is Actually Paying Off
Boston Globe: Blue Cross’s Approach To Paying Doctors Based On Quality Of Care Shows Results, Harvard Study Finds
A decade-old experiment to put a dent in Massachusetts health care costs by changing the way doctors are paid appears to be working — offering a potential strategy to combat one of the most vexing problems in today’s economy. In a new study, researchers at Harvard Medical School found that a payment plan from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts that rewards doctors who control costs is linked to smaller increases in health care spending and better-quality care. (Dayal McCluskey, 7/18)
WBUR: Changing The Way Doctors Are Paid Made Patients Healthier And Saved Money, Study Finds
The program, called the Alternative Quality Contract, works in two key ways. First, health care providers like Atrius Health, which joined in 2009, received bonuses to pay for upgrades at their medical practices like additional staff and improved electronic medical records. “That allows us to invest in infrastructure and connect better with our patients and do a better job,” Strongwater says. “The goal [of that] is to keep patients healthier through prevention and early intervention.” The idea, he says, is that healthier patients cost the system less overall. (Chen, 7/18)
