Posted: 7/31/06
$4 billion annually in state health care spending included under quality, cost savings program put into place by Gov. Pawlenty
by T.W. Budig
ECM capitol reporter
Some $4 billion a year in state health care spending will fall under a quality and cost savings program put into place by Gov. Tim Pawlenty on Monday (July 31).
The program will impact health care for about one-fifth of Minnesotaís population.
QCare ó Quality Care and Rewarding Excellence ó is estimated to yield some $153 million in savings over upcoming years by rewarding health care providers who meet patient care objectives.
By doing so, long term health care costs are lowered, argue advocates.
ìThese are realizable expectations,î said Cal Ludeman, Acting Commissioner of the Department of Human Services.
Currently, quality of care standards have been written for four big health care costs areas: diabetes, hospital stays, preventative care, and cardiac care.
Diabetes is one example of burgeoning health care costs.
Some 294,000 Minnesotans have diabetes ó its prevalence has increased over 50 percent over the past decade, according to the Governorís Office.
Yet itís estimated only 6 percent of diabetics received optimum health care in 2004.
The QCare goal is 80 percent optimum health care by 2010.
Five measured outcomes
Some five measured outcomes, such as blood pressure and blood sugar levels, are included in the diabetes standard.
Meeting the goal would translate into about $66 million in costs savings and a third fewer complications from the disease.
Health care providers gain financial incentives when standards are met.
The QCare initiative has the support of the Minnesota Medical Association and other health care groups.
Sen. Linda Berglin, DFL-Minneapolis, Senate Health and Human Services Budget Committee chairwoman, expressed support for the initiative ó one she has championed in the Senate, she explained.
But she also argued that optimum health care canít be provided in MinnesotaCare because the numbered of medical procedures covered has been reduced.
Rep. Jim Abeler, R-Anoka, House Health Care Cost Containment Committee, called the quality care incentive approach a good thing but hard to do.
For instance, opinions differ among doctors of what constitutes quality care, he explained.
But itís another good idea, said Abeler, explainging health care is complicated.
ìThere are no silver bullets,î said Abeler.
The next step for QCare, Pawlenty explained, would be for the University of Minnesota, cities and towns, to also adopt the approach.
Advocates argue thereís room for improvement in health care.
The Midwest Business Group on Health estimated that 30 percent of all direct health care costs stem from poor quality care.
The Institute of Medicine estimates that 1.5 millions Americans are harmed or killed each year because of medication errors.
QCare measurements are publicly reported on www.minnesotahealthinfo.org
Capitol Roundup
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