Prevention Matters

A Vermont congressman’s proposal to measure Medicare health outcomes on the value of the services provided rather than the volume was named Partnership for Prevention's "Best Prevention Idea of the Week," while the recent trend of American food processors to shift responsibility for food safety to consumers was named the "Worst Prevention Idea of the week."

The Best/Worst Idea awards are a regular feature of Prevention Matters, the blog of Partnership for Prevention. Each week, Partnership for Prevention's staff will choose the designees based on nominations of items in the previous week's news submitted by members, staff and the public at large. To submit a nomination or for more information, contact Damon Thompson at dthompson@prevent.org.


BEST

Congressman proposes Medicare reimbursement based on value, not volume, of care

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20090519/NEWS03/90518029/-1/NEWS05

U.S. Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., says he plans to introduce a bill that would allow for an alternative, voluntary payment system under Medicare that allowed doctors to create accountable care organizations that measure health outcomes and receive reimbursement based on the value rather than the volume of the care they deliver. Welch’s proposal is based on research at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice that suggests payment should be based on the value of the health care, not the volume of patients seen and procedures carried out.


WORST

Food companies shift the onus for safety to consumers

http://www.thespec.com/News/article/566815

The New York Times News Service’s Michael Moss reports that corporations that supply Americans with processed foods are increasingly shifting responsibility for the safety of their products to the consumer because they are unable to guarantee the safety of their ingredients.