High Quality Health Care Should Be an American Hallmark
The United States spends more money on health care than any other nation. If we are spending so much, why aren’t we healthier? Unfortunately, Americans only receive the recommended care for health conditions about half the time and often the quality of the care we receive can depend on where we live or the specific hospitals and physicians where we seek care.
WellPoint believes our country’s system can and must do a better job of delivering high-quality health care to every American. While Congress works to pass health reform legislation, we’re working to improve access to quality care and also lower costs.
We’re learning more about how to help ensure members receive the best possible treatment. HealthCore – a WellPoint company – is working with health plans, academic medical centers, and pharmaceutical and medical device makers to perform clinical outcome and comparative effectiveness studies. We’re developing new information on effective treatment strategies to keep people healthier.
It’s unacceptable that 30 cents of every health care dollar goes toward inappropriate or redundant treatment. WellPoint’s pay-for-performance programs reward doctors and hospitals whose performance results in better patient care and safety. And HealthCore’s Safety Sentinel System™ is teaming with government and academic experts to identify and prevent harmful drug effects after a drug has been approved by the FDA and used in “real world” settings.
We’re already making progress on new, innovative ideas to help improve quality, reduce costs and make coverage available and affordable. Bipartisan reform should be driven by these principles. By their actions, Congress can help improve quality by ensuring comparative effectiveness and clinical outcomes are driven by sound clinical science and conducted by experienced organizations with existing research capabilities, in a public-private partnership.
We look forward to discussing these ideas in this space in the months ahead. As the national health reform discussion continues, WellPoint remains committed to leading the way toward the answers our country needs.
