Welcome to the latest issue of Purchasing High Performance, a newsletter designed for employers and coalitions seeking value in health care, sponsored by the National Business Coalition on Health and The Commonwealth Fund.
Perspectives on Policy
Late last month the Supreme Court heard a record-breaking five-and-one-half hours of oral arguments on the Affordable Care Act. The big issue on the table is the constitutionality of the individual mandate to buy health insurance that is at the core of the law. But whatever the ruling, certain key changes and trends will likely continue. Read more »
Case Study
Benefits managers at small and midsize companies are often daunted by the idea of customizing wellness programs to an employer's population. But a group in Kansas City is showing that smaller employers can profit from tailoring benefits and wellness strategies to their unique populations. Read more »
Featured Articles
If the rising cost of specialty drugs is not at the top of your list of health care concerns, it may be soon. Specialty drugs currently account for about 17 percent of the average employer’s overall pharmacy costs, and they’re rising fast. Read more »
In late 2009, Purchasing High Performance published an article introducing readers to the patient centered medical home (PCMH)—a new health care delivery model that was being closely watched. Three years later, results from early PCMH demonstrations suggest the medical home does appear to improve quality and make care more efficient. Read more »
Interview
Purchasing High Performance talked to Dr. Arnold Milstein about the Clinical Excellence Research Center, a year-old entity that brings together experts from the fields of medicine, business, and engineering to develop new care delivery models that lower per-capita health spending while improving health and patient satisfaction. Read more »
News
Editorial Advisory Board and Steering Committee