What State Marketplaces Are Doing to Drive Health Plan Quality
<p>In addition to expanding insurance coverage, the Affordable Care Act encourages private health insurers to improve quality of care and develop innovations in care delivery. The law includes requirements that insurers selling plans in the marketplaces be accredited, report on quality and performance metrics, and implement quality improvement strategies.</p><p>In a new <a href="/publications/issue-briefs/2014/jul/implementing-affordable-care-act-state-action-quality">Commonwealth Fund issue brief</a>, Sarah Dash, Sabrina Corlette, and Amy Thomas detail the actions taken by state-based marketplaces to implement the law’s quality requirements and otherwise improve health care. The study focuses on three areas: selective contracting with insurers that advance marketplace goals by implementing quality and delivery system reforms; information on plan quality provided to consumers; and quality data collection. According to the researchers, 13 state-based marketplaces took one or more of these steps in 2014.</p>
<p>Read the complete study findings on <a href="/publications/issue-briefs/2014/jul/implementing-affordable-care-act-state-action-quality">commonwealthfund.org,</a> where you’ll also find our latest infographic.</p>