Inequalities in the health status of people in the U.S. can arise biologically or socioeconomically stemming from varying factors including genetics, food insecurity, education, homelessness, employment or social isolation. Healthcare disparities also can emerge from one's insurance status. Patients with private insurance tend to have superior access to healthcare services than the uninsured or those funded by public programs, particularly Medicaid.
"Healthcare providers aspire to eliminate healthcare disparities but the current healthcare financing system makes it economically impossible for providers to avoid favoring one subset of the population over others," Erika Johnson, Vizient vice president, strategic research, said adding that the aim of the Vizient Research Institute's latest study "Reducing Health Disparities: A Common Goal" was to develop a set of guiding principles and directional policies around a new financing system intended to reduce or eliminate healthcare disparities.
For this study, the Vizient Research Institute focused the investigation on a fictional case study with four research task forces — three comprised of Vizient member executives and the fourth made up of stakeholders from other industries — who assumed the role of a governing board overseeing all aspects of spending for a hypothetical regional healthcare cooperative. Their charge centered around the elimination of healthcare disparities (both access and experiential), addressing unmet mental health needs, and taking measures to restore public confidence while protecting the tax-exempt status of hospitals and health systems.
At the conclusion of the study, the task force members' view of all-payer price parity changed from being a disruptor to an enabler. Some of the biggest findings from the study showed that migrating more inpatient care to outpatient settings or to the home, investing in the medical manifestations of social determinants of health, and consolidating clinical programs would be measurably more achievable with all-payer price parity than they have been without it.
The study has been shared with participants in all Vizient Member Networks. For more information about joining a Member Network and accessing this and other resources provided by the Vizient Research Institute, contact Tom Potter, senior vice president, member connections business operations.