Follow up on the Pennsylvania Budget

The Jefferson School of Population Health was very privileged to hear from key experts this past week during our monthly Health Policy Forum. The most recent posting on this blog by Kenneth Baithwaite,Senior Vice President of the Hospital And Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania,summarizes the crisis we are facing. As our national leaders prepare to possibly pass some form of health reform, even this coming week, our state is facing a crisis all of its own. How will we pay for the care of the underinsured in the face of a mounting state deficit??One way out of the crisis, in my view, is to ensure that providers practice based on the evidence and that we pay them for good outcomes. If Medical Assistance in PA could turn into a savvy shopper for healthcare, this would save money and improve health care outcomes,at least in the short term. It would take some political courage but the Governor has an opportunity here to make a key policy decision to reduce waste, save money, and improve the health of the population. Bring Pay for Performance to Medical Assistance---that is in part the answer to the riddle. Stay tuned for more about the national scene just as soon as I see what is truly going to happen. What is your view about P4P for MA in PA??? DAVID NASH