Ken Thorpe's blog

Evidence Based Care Coordination CAN Work in Medicare

January 31, 2012

In light of the recent summary from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), “Lessons from Medicare's Demonstration Projects on Disease Management, Care Coordination, and Value-Based Payment” there has been some short-sighted reporting on the findings of the demonstrations that have left some impressions that I feel need correcting. The solid and growing evidence base around care coordination - the vast majority of which was not included in CBO's document - shows that well-designed programs do work to both improve outcomes and lower costs.

Health Affairs Briefing Addresses Costly Consequences of Diabetes Treatment in America

January 11, 2012

This week I was honored to participate in a panel discussion at a Health Affairs briefing in Washington, D.C. on the costly consequences of the diabetes epidemic in United States.  The briefing, entitled “Confronting The Growing Diabetes Crisis,” opened up the dialogue about the many opportunities that exist to reverse the toll diabetes takes on the overall health of Americans – and their wallets. 

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse Keynotes PFCD Panel Discussion to Promote Adoption of Health IT

November 17, 2011

Earlier this week, the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) hosted “Health Information Technology: An Invaluable Tool for Managing Chronic Diseases” at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center. We were honored to have Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) keynote the briefing. Senator Whitehouse has earned a reputation for being a tireless and vocal advocate in Congress for using health information technology (IT) as a tool to improve health outcomes, to stop the spread of chronic disease and to save billions in Medicare and Medicaid programs by keeping people healthier.

Chronic Disease Prevention is the Key to Lowering U.S. Healthcare Costs

October 17, 2011

For the last several decades, health care experts and government officials have struggled to find ways to provide affordable and more efficient health care for the American public without sacrificing quality. The same issues remain today, as health care spending in the United States exceeds $2.5 trillion dollars annually and continues to grow at an unsustainable rate.

Taking a Deeper Look at Reducing Health Care Costs

September 12, 2011

Last week in Washington, I participated in an issue briefing sponsored by Health Affairs and was honored to be joined by many health care stakeholders to share some of my recent research on diabetes and strategies that are making a difference in the fight against this chronic disease and others. At the event several authors from this month’s Health Affairs issue were there to highlight their findings and work relating to the increasing cost burdens and the saving solutions aimed at bolstering America’s ailing health care system and increasingly unhealthy population. 

Defining Essential Health Benefits

(September 2, 2011)  The Institute of Medicine (IOM) will soon produce a report outlining recommendations on the criteria and methods that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) could use when defining and updating “essential health benefits” for health plan options under the insurance exchanges created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  The findings are the result of a one-year study, initia

Tracking Chronic Diseases More Effectively

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) last week released “A Nationwide Framework for Surveillance of Cardiovascular and Chronic Lung Diseases” encouraging the construct of a national surveillance system focused on more effectively tracking information related to chronic diseases.  The proposed blueprint would serve as an indispensable resource to policymakers in their pursuit of reducing healthcare costs and preserving the quality of care.

Cultivating Health Improvement

As we grapple with exactly what this health care crisis means to each of us, there is one absolute truth about what most heavily burdens our system: chronic disease.

Chronic diseases are the leading cause of death and disability in the United States and account for the vast majority of health care spending. PFCD is working hard to raise awareness of chronic diseases and their unfortunate consequences and by doing so is rallying allies throughout the country who have a stake in health care reform.

Preventing Childhood Obesity

The Institute of Medicine last week issued a report, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, focusing on preventing obesity among children under age 5.  The fact that we need to worry about obesity at such a young age underscores both the extent of the childhood obesity epidemic in America and the importance of efforts to reverse these trends.

Medicare Benefits Good Step Towards Prevention

In the midst of a continuing dialogue about the critical role prevention and wellness measures should play in any health reform effort, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is promoting a new Medicare benefit which provides coverage for an Initial Preventative Physical Examination (IPPE)and an Annual Wellness Visit (AWV).

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