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Among the strongest elements of America’s health care system are the education and training of health care professionals, world class technology and state of the art medical research. However, imbalances in that system require a more aggressive approach to expanding, balancing and improving the Health Care Workforce.

Approaches for reform could include:

Ø Incentives for states to amend scope of practice laws and adopt education standards and regulations as necessary to ensure optimal quality care

Ø Alignment of payments to better support the use of allied health professionals including physicians’ assistants and advanced practice nurses as part of coordinated care teams

Ø Reform of graduate medical education payments—allowing use in outside clinics for expanding interest in primary care and lifting of caps on residency slots

Ø Workforce development incentives related to chronic disease management, primary care and pediatric subspecialists

Ø Integration of delivery reforms into graduate medical/allied education

Ø Incentives for providers in underserved areas and increase racial and ethnic (linguistic/cultural) diversity of medical and allied health professions

Ø Equitably realigning Medicaid provider rates with Medicare rates in order to ensure an adequate supply of providers for underserved populations as reform takes effect.

While strengthening and balancing our workforce may require additional outlays, rather than yield immediate savings, improvements in workforce policy are prerequisites for many of the cost savings reforms supported by the Coalition.

From Rx for Reform

Containing Costs and Avoiding Tax Increases While Improving Quality: Affordable Coverage and High Value Care

The National Coalition on Health Care's recommendations, based upon the consensus view of 85 member organizations, to make the system less complex, reduce overly high prices, and create a truly competitive health care marketplace. The goal of the paper is to augment the NCHC Principles and Specifications with a more detailed and selective set of policy recommendations on cost containment and quality improvement.

From Facts & Research

National Association of Community Health Centers

In a fact sheet released August 6, 2010, The National Association Community Health Centers highlighted that Community Health Centers are well positioned to lead the nation in revolutionizing the primary care delivery system.

Issue Area(s):

Coverage, Delivery System Reforms, Economic Impacts, Policy Implementation, Vulnerable Populations, Workforce Reforms / Human Capital

CRS Report Identifies Workforce and Quality Provisions of Health Reform

The Congressional Research Service recently released an updated report on the workforce and quality provisions contained in health reform legislation. In addition to the workforce and quality provisions, this report also highlights the public health provisions of reform, as well as other related provisions intended to improve access and quality of care. To read the full report, click here.

Issue Area(s):

Quality & Safety, Workforce Reforms / Human Capital

New CBO Score Claims Greater Deficit Reduction from Health Reform

According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), in a preliminary cost estimate released today, the revised Health Care Reform bill -- H.R. 4872, the Reconciliation Act of 2010 -- would cost $940 billion over 10 years and cut the federal deficit over the next two decades. If enacted it will reduce the deficit by about $130 billion in the first 10 years and by $1.2 trillion over the second 10 years. Reform also will expand coverage to 95 percent of Americans, according to the CBO figures. To read the full CBO report, click here.

Issue Area(s):

Cost, Coverage, Delivery System Reforms, Disparities, Drug and Device Cost Containment, Economic Impacts, Financing, Health IT, Innovation, Insurance, Policy Implementation, Prevention & Wellness, Quality & Safety, Simplified Administration, Workforce Reforms / Human Capital

Issue Areas

The average cost of employer-based family health insurance coverage more than doubled over the past decade, while salary growth remained stagnant.