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Skriven 2006-08-22 23:31:16 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (060822) for Tue, 2006 Aug 22
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Fact Sheet: Health Care Transparency: Empowering Consumers to Save on
Quality Care
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For Immediate Release
August 22, 2006

Fact Sheet: Health Care Transparency: Empowering Consumers to Save on
Quality Care


˙˙˙˙˙ President Bush Discusses Health Transparency in Minnesota ˙˙˙˙˙
Executive Order: Promoting Quality and Efficient Health Care in Federal
Government Administered or Sponsored Health Care Programs ˙˙˙˙˙ In Focus:
Health Care ˙˙˙˙˙

Today, President Bush Signed An Executive Order To Help Increase The
Transparency Of America's Health Care System - Empowering Americans To Find
Better Value And Better Care. To spend their health care dollars wisely,
Americans need to know their options in advance, know the quality of
doctors and hospitals in their area, and know what procedures will cost.
When Americans buy new cars, they have access to consumer research on
safety, reliability, price, and performance - and they should be able to
expect the same when they purchase health care.

This Executive Order Directs Federal Agencies That Administer Or Sponsor
Federal Health Insurance Programs To:

1. Increase Transparency In Pricing. The Executive Order directs Federal
agencies to share with beneficiaries information about prices paid to
health care providers for procedures.

2. Increase Transparency In Quality. The Executive Order directs Federal
agencies to share with beneficiaries information on the quality of services
provided by doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers.

3. Encourage Adoption Of Health Information Technology (IT) Standards. The
Executive Order directs Federal agencies to use improved health IT systems
to facilitate the rapid exchange of health information.

4. Provide Options That Promote Quality And Efficiency In Health Care. The
Executive Order directs Federal agencies to develop and identify approaches
that facilitate high quality and efficient care.

The Federal Government Is A Major Participant In The Health Care Market.
Medicare beneficiaries, health insurance beneficiaries at the Department of
Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs, and Federal employees represent
about one-quarter of Americans covered by health insurance. This Executive
Order builds on the Federal government's existing efforts to release
Medicare payment information for individual health care providers.

Consumers Will Receive Information Through A Collaborative Process. The
Federal government will work collaboratively in this process, building on
efforts by quality alliances that include a broad range of health care
stakeholders to improve quality and cost information. Measures of quality
at the provider and health plan level will be developed from private and
government sources and will not involve developing or releasing data at the
individual patient level. Participation in this process in each area will
be governed by various regional stakeholders, including local providers,
employers, and health plans and insurers. Consumers will be able to access
information from a variety of potential sources, including insurance
companies, employers, and Medicare-sponsored websites.

The President Has A Clear Agenda To Make Health Care More Affordable

The President's Health Care Agenda Includes:
  ū Allowing Small Businesses To Form Association Health Plans (AHPs). The
    President has called on Congress to allow small businesses and civic
    and community groups to form Association Health Plans (AHPs), which
    would allow these groups to join together across State lines to
    purchase health insurance. This would give them the same advantages,
    administrative efficiencies, and negotiating clout enjoyed by big
    companies and labor unions.
  ū Passing Medical Liability Reforms. The President has called on Congress
    to pass medical liability reforms that would help injured patients get
    quick compensation for economic losses while reducing frivolous
    lawsuits. Frivolous lawsuits and excessive jury awards limit access to
    health care by driving providers out of many communities. They also
    increase patients' costs by forcing doctors to practice defensive
    medicine.
  ū Expanding Health IT. In 2004, the President launched an initiative to
    make electronic health records available to most Americans within the
    next 10 years. The Administration is working to expand the use of
    health IT to increase efficiency, reduce medical errors, and improve
    quality of care while protecting patients' privacy and personal
    information.
  ū Expanding Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). In December 2003, the
    President signed legislation establishing HSAs that allow Americans to
    save tax-free dollars to pay for out-of-pocket medical expenses and
    save for future longer-term costs. HSAs give Americans more control
    over their health care spending, leading to better treatment at lower
    costs.

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