Employers back value-driven healthcare

Employers have signed on to HHS's value-driven healthcare in large numbers over the past few months, with 775 agreeing to support the Bush administration's plan, according to HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt. The employers, which cover 21 million employees and their families, include 97 firms from the top 200 U.S. companies, plus 25 states and state employee health plans. They've agreed to support the "four cornerstones" of value-driven healthcare, including expanded use of healthcare IT, measurement and publication of quality and price information, and creating incentives for efficient, high-quality care. Supporting Leavitt's announcement, The Leapfrog Group and the Partnership for Value-driven Health Care released what is believed to be the first-ever guide helping Medicaid and state employee healthcare officials make value-driven buying decisions.

To find out more about this initiative:
- read this Healthcare IT News piece

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