Achieving savings to improve health system performance

To inform national policy development, the Commonwealth Fund's Commission on a High Performance Health System is analyzing federal options for potential short- and long-term savings and opportunities to invest for future gains in value. The five central specifications of the plan are (1) knowledge management and information sharing; (2) promoting health/preventing disease; (3) incentives aligned with health system quality and efficiency; (4) administrative and pricing efficiency; and (5) universal health coverage. Key findings include: it is possible to achieve savings and improve health system performance and Medicare payment changes by themselves can be effective -- but changes involving all payers would be much more effective. The presentation will include new estimates of the likely expenditure effects of each option and estimating the five- and ten-year cumulative impact on total national health spending and the distributional effects across federal and state budgets, employers, and households.