Statement from Leah Binder, President & CEO, The Leapfrog Group
We applaud the Administration’s leadership improving price and quality transparency in the Executive Order issued by President Trump Monday. We are pleased that the Secretaries of Health and Human Services, Defense, and Veterans Affairs will be developing a Health Quality Roadmap that aims to align and improve reporting on data and quality measures across federal programs. We hope that this effort will result in a more open and transparent health system, which is critical to our future.
We continue to express concern that past efforts by the Administration to modify public reporting of quality information have focused on removing rather than expanding the availability of quality information patients need and deserve. This Executive Order is an opportunity to move forward with a more transparent approach, providing critical information on pricing, patient safety and quality for patients, purchasers, payors and providers.
We welcome two other provisions in the Executive Order, which have been priorities for many employers. First, we support the establishment of a repository to account for de-identified claims data from taxpayer-funded health care programs and group health plans for researchers, innovators, providers and entrepreneurs. This gives our country a platform to identify the best care at the best price. We also appreciate the goal of improving Health Savings Accounts, to help patients pay for the health care they need.
We look forward to working with the Administration to assure that the promise of this Executive Order results in a better health system that benefits patients and the general public.
About The Leapfrog Group
Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward in the quality and safety of American health care. The flagship Leapfrog Hospital Survey collects and transparently reports hospital performance, empowering purchasers to find the highest-value care and giving consumers the lifesaving information, they need to make informed decisions. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, Leapfrog’s other main initiative, assigns letter grades to hospitals based on their record of patient safety, helping consumers protect themselves and their families from errors, injuries, accidents and infections.