Report finds ongoing healthcare price problems in Massachusetts

{mosads}”This report highlights the real drivers of rising health care costs that must be addressed in order to make health care coverage more affordable for families and employers,” said Robert Zirkelbach, spokesman for America’s Health Insurance Plans.

The report recommends:

• Restricting patients’ choice in where they’re getting their care rather than using high deductibles to increase value-based purchasing decisions;

• Reducing healthcare price distortions through temporary statutory restrictions until transparency can improve market function;

• Encouraging patients to select a primary care provider to help coordinate their care;

• Increasing funding for care coordination, including for infrastructure improvements, and giving providers timely access to relevant patient data; 

• Improving the use of the all payer claims database; and 

• Developing appropriate regulations, solvency standards and oversight for providers who contract to manage the risk of insured and self-insured populations.