UnitedHealth suggests methods for cutting a half-trillion dollars in health costs

UnitedHealth Group has made its play in the "save the health system money" game. In a new report, the health plan's Center for Health Reform and Modernization argues that the federal government could save more than half a trillion dollars over the next 10 years by adopting a handful of tested approaches, including helping providers to cut medical errors, promoting better treatment of chronic illnesses and improving case management.

The report includes also includes recommendations that the government adhere better to evidence-based clinical practices and adopt the medical home model, which could save $122 billion over the next 10 years, it says. All told, if the government adopted programs that UnitedHealth already uses, federal health plans could cut more than $540 billion in expenses, the report suggests.

To learn more about the study:
- read this Modern Healthcare piece [1] (reg. req.)

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