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This op-ed explains how.
Yesterday, Governing published an op-ed from two states that are working to curb rising health care costs. In the article, Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) Director Sue Birch and Connecticut’s Office of Health Strategy Executive Director Deidre Gifford talk about the importance of accountability, transparency, data, and performance measurement.
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Both states are implementing a range of solutions to address the health care cost crisis, including an annual cost growth target. This target—also called a benchmark—was determined in partnership with the states’ insurers, hospitals, health care providers, employers, unions, and consumer groups. Using the benchmark, Washington and Connecticut are working to:
- Reduce the overall trend of health care cost growth so health care is more affordable for consumers
- Be transparent about where health care dollars are being spent
- Keep health care plans and providers accountable for increases in health care spending by:
- Collecting and analyzing data from public and private plans and providers
- Comparing spending against the benchmark
- Measuring health care spending performance
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The Health Care Cost Transparency Board is responsible for reducing Washington State’s health care cost growth and increasing price transparency. The Cost Board—along with three supporting advisory committees—are:
- Determining the state's total health care expenditures
- Identifying cost trends and cost drivers in the health care system
- Setting a health care cost growth benchmark for providers and payers
- Providing recommendations to the Legislature
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