Bending the Cost Curve
DeParle said the administration's health care reform plan seeks to accomplish the twin goals of reducing health care costs and expanding coverage -- two goals she described as intertwined.
"I think all of this is within our grasp," she said. "I think we can get everyone covered, and we can lower costs."
The administration's reform plan would build on the existing system of employer-sponsored health care plans, while strengthening the current fee-for-service payment system by changing incentives to reward the coordination of care.
"We want to move toward things that will bend the (cost) curve to create better incentives for physicians and hospitals to treat patients in a smarter way," she said.
For example, the administration wants to "incentivize physicians to use electronic medical records in a meaningful way for better treatment, better care, more conveniences and better administration in their offices," DeParle said. "That is building on the strength of the fee-for-service system and trying to make it better."
"I think all of this is within our grasp," she said. "I think we can get everyone covered, and we can lower costs."
The administration's reform plan would build on the existing system of employer-sponsored health care plans, while strengthening the current fee-for-service payment system by changing incentives to reward the coordination of care.
"We want to move toward things that will bend the (cost) curve to create better incentives for physicians and hospitals to treat patients in a smarter way," she said.
For example, the administration wants to "incentivize physicians to use electronic medical records in a meaningful way for better treatment, better care, more conveniences and better administration in their offices," DeParle said. "That is building on the strength of the fee-for-service system and trying to make it better."
Strengthening the System
The administration also strongly supports prevention and wellness initiatives, as well as comparative effectiveness studies to improve quality and lower costs. The recently enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides $1 billion for prevention and wellness programs and $1.1 billion for comparative clinical effectiveness research, said DeParle.
She reiterated that President Obama is committed to the enactment of health care reform legislation this year. Obama submitted a 2010 fiscal year budget in February that includes a $634 billion reserve fund for health care reform. The House and Senate both passed budget resolutions with the reserve fund intact, a clear sign that Congress is serious about passing health care reform legislation this year, DeParle said. "Congress has put its money where its mouth is by saying, 'Yes, this is in the budget.'"
DeParle referred to the reserve fund as a down payment on health care reform, a place-holder to help the administration and Congress work out the details of a health care reform plan.
She reiterated that President Obama is committed to the enactment of health care reform legislation this year. Obama submitted a 2010 fiscal year budget in February that includes a $634 billion reserve fund for health care reform. The House and Senate both passed budget resolutions with the reserve fund intact, a clear sign that Congress is serious about passing health care reform legislation this year, DeParle said. "Congress has put its money where its mouth is by saying, 'Yes, this is in the budget.'"
DeParle referred to the reserve fund as a down payment on health care reform, a place-holder to help the administration and Congress work out the details of a health care reform plan.
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