close

Wolf administration introduces health reform package that includes cost accountability commission

3 min read
article image -

Gov. Tom Wolf introduced a health care reform package Friday that includes a commission that will be tasked with keeping track of health care costs in the commonwealth and holding payers and providers accountable.

One of three primary components of the package, it is the only one that will have to be approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature. Wolf, a Democrat, said the commission will not place a cap on health care costs, but will set targets, explore how targets can be met and encourage transparency. If it comes to fruition, 15 commissioners appointed by the governor and the General Assembly will serve on the panel. Its ranks would include five state agency leaders and others who are knowledgeable about the health care marketplace.

In a press conference in Harrisburg, Wolf said a similar commission has been established in Massachusetts, and that he has talked with Charlie Baker, that state’s governor, about its operation.

“This is absolutely not a cap,” Wolf explained. “It’s an attempt to persuade health care systems to be more transparent in terms of the decisions their making in their health care costs. It’s a matter of each individual organization figuring out, ‘Here’s an idea, here’s something that works,’ and over time I’m sure we can get to a good outcome.”

How confident is Wolf that the Legislature will go along with him?

“I don’t think there’s anybody on either side of the aisle in either chamber who thinks the way things are in health care in terms of cost are just right,” he said. “We need to do something different. What those things are, we can debate and argue about.”

Under the plan, the state’s health services department will also add requirements to form regional accountable health councils (RAHCs) into managed care agreements. There will be five councils that will, among other things, come up with plans to reduce disparities in health care coverage. Through an executive order signed at the press conference, Wolf established an interagency health reform council that is being asked to make recommendations by the end of this year on ways health care in Pennsylvania can be made more efficient.

Wolf said that 36% of Pennsylvanians have reported they have a hard time paying health care bills, compared to 26% across the nation as a whole.

“Affordability is becoming a crisis,” he said. “The increasing cost of health care has put an increasing strain on a lot of families and a lot of businesses.”

At the press conference, Wolf also said he hoped President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump experience “a speedy recovery” after testing positive for COVID-19.

“I don’t think it’s any secret that the president and I don’t agree on a lot of public policies,” he explained. “That doesn’t mean I don’t wish him well, and as a fellow human being, I hope he and the first lady recover quickly from this.”

CUSTOMER LOGIN

If you have an account and are registered for online access, sign in with your email address and password below.

NEW CUSTOMERS/UNREGISTERED ACCOUNTS

Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe, click the Subscribe button below.

Starting at $3.75/week.

Subscribe Today