How We Plan to Achieve this Goal 

CHCF's Market and Policy Monitor program focuses on promoting greater transparency and accountability in California's health care system through the pursuit of these two objectives:

1. Policy and Market Trends. This objective provides data and analysis on policy developments and market trends to inform or guide decision makers. Projects that support this objective include efforts to provide health care industry stakeholders with information through publications and briefings that track trends and policy developments. Read details about this objective's initiatives, accomplishments, and next steps.
2. Provider and Insurer Performance. This objective advances reporting on health care provider and insurer performance. Projects that support this objective include reporting quality data where it is available and encouraging the collection of data for new performance measures that are of use to consumers. Read details about this objective's initiatives, accomplishments, and next steps.
   

Why We Focus on This Goal 

Reliable, objective information about cost and quality is essential to improving health care for Californians. Public reporting of such information allows physicians, hospitals, and other providers to compare their performances to one another. It may also encourage employers, insurers, and others to reward high-quality, cost-effective care; assist California policymakers seeking to expand access to affordable health care; and help consumers make better-informed choices.

As it stands today, patients who want to compare quality of care among hospitals can't always get the information they need. There is limited information for hospital leaders to gauge how their patients' experiences measure up against the competition. Insurers can't easily find out whether the physician groups they contract with are providing quality care at a reasonable cost. And legislators often lack the information that they need to determine the impact of policy changes.

"We have to find ways to fill the gap between what people want and need to know and the information that is currently available, and to do this in a way that is timely, easy to use, and clearly presented," says Maribeth Shannon, M.S., director of CHCF's Market and Policy Monitor program. "If we can accomplish that, we can help improve the care choices that Californians make every day."

For details, see a snapshot of statistics (PDF) on the California budget, health-related legislation, consumer use of quality ratings, and more.

What We Are Working Toward 

Reliable information, transparency, and accountability will be important paths to increasing the quality, effectiveness, and accessibility of health care delivered in California. Key audiences, including policymakers, industry leaders, payers, providers, and consumers will have objective and actionable information on which to base decisions. Providers and health plans will demonstrate improved performance on measures that are publicly reported. Consumers will be better prepared to make choices with more useful information provided at the right time and in the right format. 

Principles That Guide Us 

• Provide reliable, objective, timely, and actionable information to decision-makers.
• Encourage accountability through public reporting of provider and hospital performance and the use of such information to align incentives.

For More Information

See highlights of this program's reports and initiatives and the list of staff.