This following item comes from James Frogue, who explains that market-informed, consumer-based reforms do work.

On April 8th, Newt and Congressman Michael Burgess M.D. hosted an event on Capitol Hill entitled, “Better Health, Lower Cost: Examples from the Real World.” It was attended by over 60 senior Hill staff and featured presentations by four of the most transformational figures in health care.

While the media may lead you to believe that health care reform is a lost cause, our panelists showcased existing large plans (again, from the real world!) that are delivering better patient outcomes, for less overall cost (How about 4x the national average in preventive care, employees getting to keep $4 million in deposits, and an overall cost trend under 5 percent?) They do it primarily by utilizing account-based arrangements that pay rewards and incentives for healthy behaviors. Yep, those HSAs and HRAs really do work when properly designed and communicated. In fact, they work best for people with chronic conditions who receive new tools and coaching.

Other private health plans, Medicare, and Medicaid should be benchmarking against the success stories highlighted on April 8th. All of the presentations and a video of the event can be found at the link above.