While health plans and providers are increasingly focused on quality measures that include preventative care standards, the system still isn't built to foster wellness, according to the left-leaning Center for American Progress. In a paper co-authored by former Clinton chief of staff John Podesta, the Center is proposing the creation of a federal "Wellness Trust," independently run along the lines of the Social Security Administration. Among other things, the Trust would pay for prevention wherever it's delivered and give health plans, providers, business and government agencies financial incentives to focus on prevention. However, this can't happen without enacting major federal legislation, the authors note. Report [1] (.pdf)
Links:
[1] http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2006/10/health_reports.html/pdf/health_lambrew.pdf