Commonwealth Fund Publishes Health Care Costs Report

A set of synergistic policies designed to accelerate innovation in care delivery could slow health spending growth by $2 trillion over 10 years, according to a new report released today by the Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System. The report, Confronting Costs: Stabilizing U.S. Health Spending While Moving Toward a High Performance Health Care System, describes a comprehensive set of policies to change the way public and private purchasers pay for care, enhance consumers' choices of high-value care, and address the market forces driving up costs.

Estimates show that if the Commission's strategic approach is implemented soon, with public and private payers acting in concert, over 10 years federal spending could be reduced by $1.04 trillion, state and local government spending by $242 billion, and employer spending by $189 billion, compared with projected trends.

Families would also realize significant savings—$537 billion over a decade—as a result of lower future health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs. The Commission endorses the goal of holding health care spending growth to no more than the rate of long-term growth in the economy while at the same time improving health system performance.