Country: United States
Survey Organization: Harris Interactive, Inc.
Field Date: September 15, 2008–October 13, 2008
Sample: Peer-nominated experts in health care policy, finance, and delivery; select members of the Modern Healthcare database
Sample Size: 222
Interview Method: Online/E-mail
Read an analysis of the findings in a Data Brief. Also see two related commentaries, Improving Medicare's Value by J. James Rohack, M.D., president-elect of the American Medical Association, and Achieving Payment Reform in Medicare by Glenn Hackbarth, J.D., M.A., chair of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and a member of The Commonwealth Fund Board of Directors and the Fund's Commission on a High Performance Health System
The 16th Commonwealth Fund/Modern Healthcare Health Care Opinion Leaders Survey asked a diverse group of experts about health care payment system reform. Survey participants are fundamentally dissatisfied with the way health care is paid for in the United States, with more than two-thirds reporting the fee-for-service system is not effective at encouraging high quality and efficient care and more than three-quarters preferring a move toward bundled per patient payment. Shared accountability for resource use was favored as a means for improving efficiency, and at least two-thirds supported realigning provider payment incentives to improve efficiency and effectiveness, using strategies including increasing payments for primary care under Medicare and paying for transitional care services. Opinion leaders also supported Medicare negotiation of pharmaceutical prices and competitive bidding for durable medical equipment. A majority expressed support for creation of a Medicare Health Board to make Medicare payment and benefit decisions, subject to congressional guidelines.
Methodology
The Commonwealth Fund/Modern Healthcare Health Care Opinion Leaders Survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of The Commonwealth Fund between September 15, 2008, and October 13, 2008 among 1,078 opinion leaders in health policy and innovators in health care delivery and finance. The final sample included 222 respondents from various industries, for a response rate of 21 percent. Data from this survey were not weighted. A full methodology is available in Appendix A.