Reconciling Prevention And Value In The Health Care System

The term ‘value’ (commonly defined as health improvements attained per dollar spent) has become ubiquitous in discussions around improving the health care system. Increasingly, payers are adopting value-based purchasing programs (paying more for higher value care) and providing benefits that follow the principles of value-based insurance design (aligning patient cost-sharing with the value of the service). These programs typically focus on services widely regarded as relatively low-cost and clinically effective, such as beta-blockers prescribed for patients following a myocardial infarction (i.e. heart attack). Simultaneously, there is widespread enthusiasm for the increased use of preventive services. The Patient Protection and Affordable Act (ACA) mandates the elimination of consumer cost sharing for selected preventive services in marketplace plans and many other individual health plans. A particular subset of plans, High-Deductible Health Plans with Health Savings Accounts (HSA-HDHPs) can cover certain preventive services—but not other services—before the deductible, a minimum of $1,250 for an individual and $2,500 for a family, is met. Generally, policies supporting prevention and value are consistent. Many (not all) preventive services do provide considerable value. Yet as with value, there are nuances in the definition of prevention that can lead to suboptimal policy choices. Specifically, most policy related to prevention defines preventive ser...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - Category: Health Management Authors: Tags: All Categories Chronic Care Consumers Coverage Health Care Costs Health Reform Insurance Long-Term Care Medicare Policy Prevention Quality Source Type: blogs