SOUTH KINGSTOWN – The Rhode Island Business Group on Health has been awarded $300,000 by Arnold Ventures LLC, a philanthropic organization that looks to tackle some of the most pressing problems in the U.S., including high health care costs.
The business group says the grant will support its health care transparency and payment reform initiative.
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“Our board is extremely pleased that Arnold Ventures has recognized the importance and potential impact of supporting RIBGH’s campaign to educate business and community leaders on the need for health care payment reform in the state of Rhode Island,” said Al Charbonneau, RIBGH executive director.
The business group says the money will go toward efforts to inform and engage major stakeholders representing business, community, labor, legislative and health care, including hospital trustees and consumer groups in collaboration with the Rhode Island Cost Trend Steering Committee to reform the payment systems for hospitals and other providers across the state.
More specifically, the grant will underwrite three components of RIBGH’s work:
- Conduct analysis using the RIBGH database that is built on information from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, the R.I. Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner, and the Medicare Cost Report. This work also involves collaboration with the Business Analytics and Artificial Intelligence Department at the University of Rhode Island’s College of Business.
- Develop a series of issue briefs and other media using data to make the case for payment reform to be distributed throughout the state and at the national level via the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions.
- Engage business and community leader champions to create pressure to align payment with affordability in Rhode Island.
“Payment reform for health systems is long overdue,” said Michael Thompson, National Alliance CEO and president. “The current system rewards inflated prices, misuse of resources and focuses too much on more health care – not more health. With this grant, the employer community can help Rhode Island to get out in front and lead the country in implementing constructive reforms.”
