Insurance execs tout need for performance-based health care system [The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C.]
By David Bracken, The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
"The system is broke," declared
He said
Baker joined executives of Aetna,
The panelists touched on a range of issues that they said are contributing to spiraling health care costs.
There was also much discussion about the need for more transparency in what things cost, and for companies and their employees to have a better understanding about how their use of the health care system contributes to rising costs.
Baker said too many businesses today continue to use outdated health care plans that don't support the innovative approaches now being used to reduce costs.
"You need more education," she said.
Looming over Thursday's discussion is the
Whatever the court's decision, the panelists described how in the coming years there will be a major shift of health care costs from the public sector to the private sector as the government lowers reimbursement rates for
While health care reform will add many new patients to the rolls of the insured, Baker said it would also raise costs for those considered low risk as they subsidize higher-risk patient pools.
All the panelists said the pace of change in health care needs to accelerate, and that stakeholders need to come together to design a better delivery system that all can live with.
"Today we know it's broken but we don't have a platform to jump to," Pitts said.
Bracken: 919-829-4548
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