Paying for Value: Does Money Talk?

Spurred by growing information about unwarranted variations in both the price and quality of health care, public and private sectors are pressing for a payment system that rewards value over volume. This panel looked at efforts to understand what health care actually costs by developing metrics to calculate the total cost of patient care across all providers. It explored new strategies and tactics being used by purchasers, including the federal government’s value-based purchasing program, and the role of regional health care collaboratives in driving this change. The panel also probed what the new emphasis on value means for patients.