Health Affairs, 24, no. 6 (2005): 1549-1553 doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.24.6.1549 © 2005 by Project HOPE	New Online   Pay Cuts For Medicare Docs   Access To Care Woes   Public Coverage More Efficient   Empowering Consumers

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Consumerism

PERSPECTIVE

Why Employers Need To Rethink How They Buy Health Care

Employers will continue to have a key role in the U.S. health system. Unfortunately, their purchasing practices have fallen far short of ideal. Large employers can lead the way for smaller companies, but by not routinely using competitive bidding or integrating quality into their specifications, they have sent mixed messages to both health plans and providers. Employers need to either get serious about buying health care as individual companies or explore other options. To purchase effectively, both health care expertise and the sustained commitment of senior leadership are needed. Whether employers can reverse their historical performance and become better purchasers is an open question.

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