Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Rounds Up Recent Health Policy Reports

The following are summaries of three recently released health policy reports. The reports appear below in alphabetical order by title:

• "Crossing the Quality Chasm with Information Technology": This report from the California HealthCare Foundation examines how information technology is being used to "improve the quality of clinical care" in doctors' offices. The report, which was prepared by the First Consulting Group, looks at patient "empowerment," system reliability and safety, extended care relationships and public accountability for quality of care (California HealthCare Foundation release, 8/27). The full report is available online. Note: You must have Adobe Acrobat to view this report.
  
• "Employer Health Coverage in the Empire State: An Uncertain Future": According to this survey of 600 New York employers, the "combination of a weak economy," higher unemployment and rising health care costs may mean that many employers will eliminate or reduce health care benefits for employees, their dependents and retirees. The report, sponsored by the Commonwealth Fund and prepared by the Health Research and Educational Trust, also found that as many as 75% of workers may experience a rise in insurance costs as many employers begin to shift costs to their employees (Commonwealth Fund release, 8/27). The full report is available online. Note: You must have Adobe Acrobat to view this report.
  
• "Quality Incentives for Medicare+Choice Plans": George Washington University's Health Insurance Reform Project recently issued a report outlining ways to improve the quality of care for Medicare+Choice Plans. The report suggests instituting national, regional and most-improved 2% bonuses for Medicare+Choice Plans based on national criteria from either the National Committee on Quality Assurance or CMS. The bonuses should be financed from the Medicare trust funds. In addition, the report states that Medicare+Choice plans should use their purchasing power by imitating private-sector quality purchasing and "provid[e] higher payment to better quality health plans" because this approach has "flexibility, ability to innovate, a diversity of approaches and additional enrollees and purchasing power" (Etheredge et al., "Quality Incentives for Medicare+Choice Plans," August 2002). The report is available online. Note: You must have Adobe Acrobat to view this report.