Health First Authority meeting update

At today’s meeting of the Health First Authority, their fifth, members expressed frustration with the group’s slow progress. The group was to hear presentations by representatives from other states working on health care reform, but that was postponed. The proposed facilitator, whose services are being donated by Academy Health, has changed. They are now considering Randall Bovbjerg and Barbara Ormond from the Urban Institute. The group has created two committees – one to address costs and cost containment, the other to work on quality issues. Each committee has over 40 members and has met once. Members repeatedly expressed concerns about meeting the December final report deadline in statute. A motion was made to vote on five consensus goals including e-health and data systems, focus on prevention – tobacco, obesity and behavioral health, chronic care, increasing access for children, and simplifying claims and procedures. There was widespread resistance to the motion both because it was premature and for lack of detail; the motion was withdrawn. The next meeting will be March 27th.

Posted by Ellen Andrews