Improving the Affordability of Coverage

The costs of health coverage are again escalating much more rapidly than general inflation—which puts increasing pressure on wages and jobs, access to needed health care, employer and family budgets, productivity, and the global competitiveness of American firms. These are major challenges that require a serious national policy response, but unfortunately Washington is locked in battle over whether millions of Americans should have health care coverage at all.
NCHC is calling for a fresh, bipartisan approach – one that begins by preventing disruption to existing coverage and goes on to fix what’s broken in American health care overall.
The focus should be on the underlying causes of high health care costs, including the following:
- Waste and unnecessary care, largely driven by a volume-based fee-for service payment
- The high costs of prescription drugs
- The lack of coordinated care for high-cost patients
- Inadequate support for primary care, resulting in avoidable specialty care, hospital stays, and institutionalization
- Lack of investment in population health
These five factors drive high costs without adding value, and are a more constructive focus for efforts to move our health system toward better performance and more affordable costs for everyone.
Recent Publications from NCHC on this topic:
Top of The Administration’s Agenda: Stem the Rising Cost of Healthcare
National Coalition on Health Care Urges A Fresh Start on Health Care Legislation
It’s time for Congress to shift focus from cost-shifting to cost-saving
NCHC Urges a “No” Vote on “Skinny Repeal” & Underlying Bill
After Debt Ceiling Deal, Congress Must Prevent Disruption to Nation’s Health System
Immediate Congressional Action Imperative in Wake of CSR Cancellation
NCHC Commends Representatives Burgess and Green for Hearing on Payment Models
Rother: Final Tax Bill would Undercut Affordability of Care and Coverage
The Hill: Disrupting CHIP will permit chronic conditions to grow in prevalence
Takeaways from a year of health care disruption
Lack of Health Center, Medicare Extensions Will Harm Outcomes, Increase Costs
Medical, Consumer, Insurer Groups Call for Immediate Individual Market Stabilization Package
NCHC Praises Launch of Congressional Health Care Innovation Caucus
Letter in support of HR 3692, the Addiction Treatment Access Improvement Act
Joint letter to House & Senate Appropriations Subcommittee leadership regarding Fiscal Year 2019
NCHC Releases Major Health Care Affordability Report
Effort to Stabilize Market Means Little if Coverage, Affordability Disrupted – February 15, 2017
MISSION
To bring together key stakeholders in order to achieve an affordable, high-value health care system for patients and consumers, for employers and other payers, and for taxpayers.
SIGNUP FOR NCHC NEWSLETTER
NCHC RECENT POLICY CORRESPONDENCE
- National Coalition on Health Care: Summary of HEROES Act Provisions Related to NCHC Priorities
- National Coalition on Health Care Constructs Memo on Phase 4 COVID-19 House Proposal
- National Coalition on Health Care Sends Letter to Congress with Policy Recommendations for Fourth Federal Response to COVID-19
- National Coalition on Health Care Constructs Memo on Key Provisions in CARES Act
- National Coalition on Health Care Sends Letter to Congress with Policy Recommendations for COVID-19 Pandemic
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