Governor’s Working Group for Health Care Innovation calls for creation of health policy office

ELIZABETH H. ROBERTS, the state's health and human services secretary, said she is grateful to the working group members for  developing the recommendations. / COURTESY THE OFFICE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
ELIZABETH H. ROBERTS, the state's health and human services secretary, said she is grateful to the working group members for developing the recommendations. / COURTESY THE OFFICE OF THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

PROVIDENCE – The governor’s Working Group for Health Care Innovation is calling for a health policy office to be created to help coordinate health policy decisions affecting all Rhode Islanders.
The group’s findings were released Tuesday, and are the result of nearly six months of public meetings. The new office would be located within the state Executive Office of Health & Human Services.

A news release about the group noted that the Affordable Care Act has helped cut the state’s uninsured rate in half, to 5 percent, but said rising health care costs remain a concern for Rhode Island residents, business owners and health care providers.
The new office would oversee the implementation of statewide health policy goals, work to better align health policies across state agencies and create a comprehensive state plan for Rhode Island. It also would establish a health spending target to increase transparency.

The group also is focused on creating population health goals to support healthier communities, as well as expanding the state’s analytic capabilities, including use of health information technology and alternative payment models to drive better care at more sustainable costs, the news release stated.

“We can take action to build a stronger, more effective health care system – and make Rhode Island a leader in health care innovation in the process,” Health and Human Services Secretary Elizabeth H. Roberts said in a statement. “I am grateful to the Working Group members for lending their time and expertise to develop these recommendations, and look forward to moving towards implementation, at the governor’s direction. This is just the beginning of what we can do when we bring everyone to the table and focus on finding solutions to some of our state’s biggest challenges.”
Health care costs are on the rise. The release said that between 2003 and 2013, the average yearly commercial insurance premium for a family in Rhode Island jumped to more than $16,000 from $9,500, more than a quarter of the median household income in the state. Nationally, health care costs also increased, rising approximately 85 percent between 2000 and 2010.
“Unpredictable increases in healthcare spending create uncertainty for business owners and are often cited as one of the top hurdles for expanding and creating new jobs,” the release said.
Gov. Gina M. Raimondo said businesses are more likely to invest in the state if Rhode Island can offer predictable health care costs.
The spending target unveiled by the working group is modeled “loosely” after Massachusetts’ health care spending goals, which the release said have shown success in slowing cost increases in the individual and commercial insurance markets and Medicare.
The working group is recommending that annual cost trend hearings are held. These hearings would be conducted by the new office to help improve transparency and hold providers and payors accountable.
There are approximately 40 members of the working group. They represent Rhode Island’s health care system, the business community, local government and consumer advocates.

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2 COMMENTS

  1. Clearly Rhode Island does not need to add more layers of government to its already overburdened infrastructure.
    We have a “health exchange” and a Health and Human Services Department, and more, Isn’t that enough layers?
    If these functions need to be done, they should be within the existing framework.
    More layers of government will mean more cost, not less!
    The phantom pot of gold savings in health care are all being spent in admin and not improving direct patient services.

  2. I am a member of the Working Group. I believe the intent of the new office is to consolidate health policy decision making which is now spread over a number of departments within the state, making coherent strategy impossible. It should be able to be done with existing ( or minimal new) staff and could rationalize an important function now hopelessly fragmented.