Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas Our health care payment system should not be based on the number of tests & treatments that are performed on a patient but on the quality of care that keeps a patient healthy. Taxpayers should not have to bear the full financial responsibility of preventable hospital re-admissions & complications said Texas State Senator Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound) following passage of her bills SB 7 and SB 8 to control rising health care costs & improve patient outcomes. The bills now go to the House.
Senate Bill 7 restructures the payment system for Medicaid and the Childrens Health Insurance Program to focus on healthy outcomes and to reduce costs associated with
waste inefficiency and preventable medical errors.
Senate Bill 8 improves efficiency and outcomes across all types of health care.
Key provisions of SB 7 would:
- authorize Medicaid payment reductions in cases of preventable readmissions and complications;
- allow the state to share savings with providers who deliver high quality efficient care;
establish copayments for unnecessary emergency room visits;- create incentives for providers who reduce non-emergency use of the emergency room; and
- study pay-for-performance in long-term care.
Key provisions of SB 8 would:
- develop a statewide plan for improving health care transparency quality and efficiency;
- establish the Health Care Collaborative certificate for providers who join together to provide care that promotes quality patient engagement and coordination of services;
- require public reporting of potentially preventable readmissions and complications;
- develop standardized patient identification wristbands based on patient medical characteristics; and
recognize exemplary health care facilities and make the information available to the public
If we fail to address these structural flaws our health care costs will continue to soar and impact our ability to fund schools roads public safety and other priorities said Senator Nelson.
