Tonight I’m finalizing my remarks for Group Health’s first-ever industry learning event, called “Innovating through Engagement” at the Seattle Westin on March 25.
Around 300 of our region’s pioneering health care leaders, thinkers, and doers are coming together for this day of learning. Continue reading ‘Innovations Conference tomorrow’
The health reform law was signed into law one year ago today by President Obama.
To commemorate the day, we invite you to test your knowledge of the law by taking this short quiz sponsored by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
We also welcome you to read about some of the important accomplishments in the past year as a result of the passage of the Affordable Care Act.
This past month, I traveled to DC twice: once to speak at an Alliance for Healthcare Reform event on shared decision making, and once to speak at an AHIP conference on Exchanges. While the topics are quite different, they share a common element—both are areas where Group Health is leading in innovative and dynamic ways to make healthcare more centered on the needs of the people and communities we serve. Continue reading ‘Shared Decision Making & Exchanges: Recent Adventures in DC’
On Monday March 7th, President Obama spoke to the National Governor’s Association and acknowledged both the progress with and challenges inherent in implementation of health reform. In a significant step toward working productively with state leaders across the political spectrum, he also announced his support for state flexibility in reform implementation.
Specifically, he supports allowing states to apply for waivers, as early as 2014, that would let them implement health reform differently and in a way that makes sense for their specific state. Such waivers are currently allowed under the existing health reform law, but not until the year 2017. The change to allow such waivers in 2014– which has been proposed in a bill sponsored by Senators Wyden and Brown – would probably still need to be passed by Congress in order to become law, but the chances of this are greatly increased by the President’s support. Continue reading ‘Health Reform and State Flexibility’
An X-ray or MRI may show arthritis in a knee, but only the owner of that knee knows whether it hurts enough to merit a joint replacement.
That’s the logic behind Group Health’s effort to involve patients more deeply in their health care decisions. In a process called “shared decision making,” members and their physicians can engage in an active, informed discussion about the benefits—and possible downsides—of a surgical procedure. The goal: health care that reflects a member’s values and priorities, rather than only what a medical diagnosis recommends. Continue reading ‘A better way to improve member outcomes’
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