Cut Waste, Save Money

Shannon Brownlee's 2007 book "Overtreated" reframed the debate over healthcare reform by exposing the unnecessary procedures and treatments that contribute to the staggeringly expensive cost of healthcare. Seven years later, the state of California takes a page from Brownlee to help doctors and patients make better choices, cut waste and make healthcare more affordable.

 

Covered California, the state's health insurance exchange, disseminated a press release yesterday announcing their collaboration with "Choosing Wisely," a partnership of the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation, Consumer Reports, and leading national medicine societies.  The newly forged partnership aims to provide evidence-based recommendations to help physicians and patients make wise decisions about appropriate care based on individual situations.

Lists of commonly ordered (but not always necessary) procedures and tests that could cause undue harm, both physically and financially, are already being distributed to physicians and patients through consumer advocacy partners.  If successful, this effort will reduce duplication (when doctors run the same tests on patients due to incomplete medical records or misinformation) and waste (unnecessary procedures based on uninformed decision-making), and makes sure each patient receives the most appropriate care.  

For more information on Covered CA's outreach and education, visit www.CoveredCA.com.