Lenard I. Lesser, MD; Andrew W. Bazemore, MD, MPH
While policy makers emphasize increased use of preventive care as central to health reform's ability to lengthen lives and save costs, busy clinicians still lack financial incentives to coordinate and effect evidence-based prevention. To realize these ambitions, the Department of Health and Human Services should align payments from the CMS with the preventive evidence base produced by the USPSTF. Simultaneously, Congress should implement innovative payment reforms driving new models of preventive coordination and accountability, revisit previously authorized but unnecessary services, and increase support for research on their effectiveness and cost-effectiveness.
Lesser LI, Bazemore AW. Improving the Delivery of Preventive Services to Medicare Beneficiaries. JAMA. 2009;302(24):2699-2700.