NCHC Plan For Health and Fiscal Policy

Curbing Costs, Improving Care: The Path to an Affordable Health Care Future

Overview 

The National Coalition on Health Care, working with its member organizations representing consumers, providers, employers, and health plans, has developed a new path forward on health policy. The NCHC Plan is designed to improve quality of care even as it curbs unnecessary growth in costs by transforming incentives for all actors in our health system—consumers, providers, and payers alike.

Why is the NCHC Plan unique? 

1. It can achieve $548 billion in deficit reduction. Savings are drawn equally from spending reductions and health-related revenue.
2. It’s more than a budget plan. The NCHC plan is designed to bolster quality and curb costs in the private sector as well as public programs.
3. It avoids cost-shifting. The NCHC plan offers alternatives to the across-the-board reimbursement and benefit cuts included in both current law and most deficit reduction plans now on the table.
4. It protects the most vulnerable. The NCHC plan provides more cost-effective care to high-cost, high-need beneficiaries.
5. It’s bipartisan. The NCHC plan combines the best ideas from both Republicans and Democrats.

How do we plan to achieve these goals?

Over the past few years NCHC staff, members and funders have collaborated to prioritize key health system “gamechangers” to establish a more efficient foundation for future healthcare needs. These “gamechangers” are drawn from a 7-point strategy that is designed to save money, improve care and achieve better health outcomes:

1. Change provider incentives to reward value, not volume.
2. Encourage patient and consumer engagement.
3. Use market competition to increase value.
4. Ensure the highest-cost patients receive high-value, coordinated care.
5. Promote smarter workforce development and use.
6. Reduce errors, fraud and administrative overhead.
7. Invest in prevention and population health.

Our approach to the savings and revenue estimates draws upon a wide range of existing literature and research. The proposal synthesizes individual estimates scored by credible sources such as the CBO, OMB and MedPAC in order to construct a cohesive plan that can raise the value of our health spending through improving outcomes and lowering costs.

The benefits of our overall strategy are not speculative. Its elements have been tested and successfully implemented in health systems, plans and communities throughout the United States. They have resulted in demonstrable cost savings, improved quality or both. It’s time to bring these innovative approaches to scale.

Full Report and Summary

For the Full Report, click here.
For the Executive Summary, click here.

Webinar on the NCHC Plan

In this presentation, President and CEO John Rother gives an overview of the NCHC Plan by explaining its 7-point strategy.

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Video of the Launch Event

This video covers the Nov. 8 launch event for the NCHC Plan at the National Press Club Building.