What's New
The Commonwealth Fund has launched a new Health Reform Resources section on commonwealthfund.org, offering easy access to Fund content that informs the health care policy debate. Here you’ll find research and analysis that explore how we can move the U.S. toward a system that provides access to high-quality care for all Americans, while slowing the unsustainable growth in health care costs. The section also features the Fund's Washington Health Policy Week in Review newsletter, a digest of selected stories from the daily newsletter CQ HealthBeat. Read more »
Recent Releases
This Commonwealth Fund report examines policy options that could slow growth in health spending, improve health outcomes, and provide additional revenues to finance comprehensive reform. Read more »
More than two years after implementation of its landmark health insurance reforms, Massachusetts had achieved historically high levels of coverage and widespread improvements in access to care, according to this Health Affairs study—the latest in a series of reform updates funded by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, The Commonwealth Fund, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. A Commonwealth Fund issue brief describes how the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority—the linchpin of Massachusetts' health reform legislation—works to promote administrative ease, eliminate paperwork, offer portability of coverage, and provide standardization and choice of plans. Some of the structural components and functions of the Connector may be transferable to a national health reform model, say the authors. Read more »
Out-of-pocket health care expenses for workers covered by employer-sponsored plans grew by more than one-third between 2004 and 2007, according to a Commonwealth Fund–supported study in Health Affairs. The higher costs are particularly burdensome for people who are sick or have modest incomes. Read more »
Australia, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom have developed comparative effectiveness research agencies to suit their unique circumstances, but the four agencies share common features that should be carefully considered by U.S. policymakers seeking to do the same, according to the authors of a Commonwealth Fund–supported study published in the new issue of the Milbank Quarterly. Read more »
Despite overwhelming evidence that experiences during the early childhood years contribute greatly to later health and educational attainment, the United States lacks a clearly articulated policy to address the needs of young children and their families during this crucial period. This Commonwealth Fund report by Neal Halfon, M.D., M.P.H., and colleagues considers the lessons that England, Canada, and Australia's experiences might hold for the development of early childhood policy in the U.S. Read more »
Large physician practices adopt clinical information technology at higher rates when they participate in quality improvement initiatives and when they are evaluated for pay-for-performance and public-reporting purposes, according to this Commonwealth Fund–supported study. Read more »
What is actually meant by a health insurance exchange and how might it work? Watch a Commonwealth Fund e-forum, with slides and audio, of a Commonwealth Fund/Alliance for Health Reform briefing featuring Nancy Turnbull of Harvard University, Richard Curtis of the Institute for Health Policy Solutions, and Linda Blumberg of the Urban Institute. Ed Howard of the Alliance for Health Reform and Cathy Schoen of The Commonwealth Fund moderated. Read more »
The latest case study in a series highlighting high-performance health organizations, published on commonwealthfund.org and WhyNotTheBest.org, looks at the reasons behind the high patient satisfaction rate at Parkwest Medical Center in Tennessee. Eighty-seven percent of Parkwest patients recently discharged said they would recommend the hospital to a family member or friend—a patient satisfaction level that is 19 percentage points higher than the national average. Read more »
Announcements
When properly supported, health centers have demonstrated their ability to serve as patient- and community-centered medical homes. This Commonwealth Fund–supported report, available on the George Washington University Web site, finds that further evolution toward a patient-centered medical home model depends on realigning payment incentives to ensure that health centers are able to sustain vital resources. For example, health centers need to be able to adopt and maintain the clinical, administrative, and health information technology changes linked to quality improvement efforts; recruit and retain clinical, administration, and support staff; secure the financial capital needed to add additional operating hours and locations; and establish reliable referral arrangements for patients requiring specialty care. Read more »
With partial support from The Commonwealth Fund, the National Academies of Practice—an interdisciplinary organization of health professionals—has published Models of Accountable Coordinated Health Care. The paper calls for a broad definition of accountable health systems, which should be structured to promote and support a variety of health care professionals in providing integrated patient-centered health care across all care settings, and throughout a patient’s lifespan. Read more »
Upcoming Events
On Thursday, June 11, 2009, 12:00 pm, The Commonwealth Fund and Consumers Union will host an event at The Columbus Club in Washington, D.C.’s Union Station. The event will feature: Jeanne Lambrew, Director, Office of Health Reform, Department of Health and Human Services; Karen Davis, President, The Commonwealth Fund; Jim Guest, President and CEO, Consumers Union; Sara Collins, Assistant Vice President, The Commonwealth Fund; and DeAnn Friedholm, Director, Health Reform Campaign, Consumers Union. RSVP for this event online at: http://www.burnesscommunications.com/new/new_show.htm?doc_id=931557. Read more »
Join the sixth annual Colloquium, sponsored by The Commonwealth Fund and conducted by AcademyHealth, on Saturday, June 27, at the Hilton Chicago. The event will include the following sessions: "Long-Term Care Financing Reform: Lessons from the U.S. and Abroad" and "Intersection of Long-Term Care and End-of-Life Care." To register and view the full agenda, go to: http://www.academyhealth.org/Events/events.cfm?ItemNumber=2893&navItemNumber=2157. Read more »
The Pioneer Network, a Commonwealth Fund–supported organization dedicated to long-term care (LTC) culture change, is hosting a new webinar series for LTC providers called "Creating Home: The New Quality of Life Revisions to LTC Surveyor Guidance." To register, visit www.pioneernetwork.org. Read more »
Attend the annual conference, "Joining Together, Creating Community," August 12–14 in Little Rock, Arkansas. The Commonwealth Fund is a cosponsor of this event. To register, go to http://www.pioneernetwork.org/Events/ComingTogether/. Read more »