Mayo on health reform

The Mayo consensus on health reform, reached after a year of meetings at Mayo and elsewhere:

• We already spend enough money on health care.

• Everybody should be required to buy insurance.

• Employers should contribute.

• Government should support those who can’t afford to pay.

• Electronic records will be required to coordinate care.

• Medicare should give more money for good outcomes and less money for bad outcomes.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthpolicycenter/summary-session6.html

Private sector action steps:

• Payment Reform
Make the case for payment reform with properly aligned incentives (outcomes, prevention, wellness, "virtual" appointments, etc.).
• Universal Clinical IT
Universal use of interoperable electronic clinical information technology systems (systems that can share information).
• High-Cost Service Program
Develop care programs for high-impact/high-cost services (end-of-life care, chronic diseases, etc.)
• Coordinating Care Team
Incent delivery model which provides defined care coordinator for chronic and acute conditions (i.e. medical home).
• Benefits to Improve Health
Define a minimum standard benefit package that realigns the health system toward improving health in addition to treating disease.
Government sector action steps:
• Insurance For All
Ensure/mandate insurance coverage for all.
• Interoperable EMR
Require all providers to have interoperable electronic medical records within a certain time (4-5 years) with patient accessibility.
• Pay For Value
Direct Medicare to pay for value/outcomes/prevention using innovative payment models.
• Federal Health Reserve
Implement an independent "Federal Health Reserve Board" to set rules/standards to promote value in health care.
• Care Coordination
Reward care coordination (whether provided by primary care, specialist or other caregiver).