Officialsfrom the Healthcare Leadership Council, a coalition of health insurers,academics, hospitals and other health care groups, proposed using Medicaid andSCHIP funds to purchase private coverage for uninsured U.S. residents,CQHealthBeatreports. The plan, announced at a Chicago news conference, states that usingMedicaid and SCHIP funds to purchase private coverage would allow the uninsuredto purchase coverage through their employers.
The proposal was part of a larger health care reform plan that includedrestructuring insurance payments "to reward positive outcomes and the useof evidence-based medicine" instead of a fee-per-procedure system andoverhauling the "flawed medical liability system," which encourages"defensive medicine." In addition, the plan recommended increasingthe use of health care information technology to improve the quality of medicalcare while lowering its cost. HLC officials wrote, "It is critical thatCongress and the administration invest significant funds and establish nationalstandards to encourage the implementation of health informationtechnology" as well as provide "financing mechanisms" to helphealth care providers use the technology in their medical practices.
Affordable Health Insurance
Mary Grealy, president of HLC, said that as Congress prepares to make changesto the U.S.health care system in 2009, "We really want to work together to get thejob done" (Carey, CQ HealthBeat, 5/13).
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