Health Innovations (B) Working Group
March 29, 2008
The Health Innovations (B) Working Group met on March 29, 2008.
During this meeting, the Health Innovations Working Group:
- Received a presentation from Isabel Friedenzohn of the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation's State Coverage Initiatives on cost containment. She discussed
the causes of escalating health care spending and described some steps that
states are taking to improve the efficiency of health care and to improve
management of chronic conditions. She also noted that, increasingly, states
are addressing access, systems improvement and cost containment simultaneously.
- Received a presentation from Commissioner Thabault (VT) on Vermont's Blueprint
on Health. The goal of the Blueprint is to create a standardized system of
care that improves the lives of individuals with, and at risk for, chronic
conditions. It is designed around "Core System Competencies," rather
than disease programs, so that it can be expanded over time to deal with many
different challenges. Eventually, the Blueprint will provide mandated standards
for chronic care management across all payers and providers in Vermont.
- Received an update on the NAIC's Federal State Flexibility Legislation proposal
and on H.R. 506, the Health Partnership Through Creative Federalism Act. While
both have received positive attention, neither are likely to pass this year.
- Received an update on the Catalog of State Innovations. Staff is currently
revising the catalog, to provide more comprehensive treatment of the areas
of innovation, and better organization. Staff will circulate a draft for suggestions
from the Working Group.
- Discussed the Working Group's future work plans. The Working Group is considering
holding a hearing at the Summer National Meeting in San Francisco to gather
testimony from stakeholders on health care cost containment issues. There
was also discussion of what the Working Group's final work product should
be. One or more white papers and the catalog of state innovations were suggested
by various members of the Working Group.
Action Items:
There were no action items.