Clearly, more money does not automatically translate into better health care nor does less money mean poor health care. Furthermore, according to this JAMA report, all states could do a better job of implementing quality care. Perhaps this is why states that have instituted health care reform, such as Vermont and Oregon, demonstrated relatively high levels of performance at lower cost. Authors of the JAMA article further suggested that it is necessary to hold all stakeholders accountable, not just health care providers and health plans. I call upon my Colleagues to recognize that we too are accountable.
Medical experts agree on best practices.
So we must do more than just authorize spending, we must recognize what constitutes quality care and expect providers, hospitals, and health plans to deliver. Medicare beneficiaries across the United States deserve the best care available and this cannot be achieved through greater spending alone. We are fooling ourselves if we believe that more money will automatically translate to better care.