Theory and Reality of Value-Based Medical Purchasing Lessons from the Pioneers

Summary: Presents findings from a project that examined the state of the art in value-based purchasing. A few employers & coalitions -- the pioneers -- are acting in a bold innovative fashion to implement the principles of value-based purchasing. They: collect data on both cost & quality; use the data to select health plans & providers; have financial incentives for employees to enroll in plans with good performance records; ...& sometimes work directly with providers to identify & implement best practices. The report also spells out a valuable list of research questions for the future. [read more]