Healthcare Financial News

Creating a unique patient identification number for every person in the United States would facilitate a reduction in medical errors, simplify the use of electronic medical records, increase overall efficiency, and help protect patient privacy, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

Although creating such an identification system could cost as much as $11 billion, the effort would likely return even more in benefits to the nation's healthcare system, according to researchers from RAND Health.

"Establishing a system of unique patient identification numbers would help the nation to enjoy the full benefits of electronic medical records and improve the quality of medical care," said Richard Hillestad, the study's lead author and a senior principal researcher at RAND. "The alternative is to rely on a system that produces too many errors and puts patients' privacy at risk."

People enrolled in consumer-directed health plans (CDHP) are more likely to budget for healthcare costs and participate in health and wellness programs, according to new survey results presented by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) at the Consumer Driven Healthcare Summit in Washington, D.C.

The industry-wide BCBSA 2008 "CDHP Member Experience Survey" also found that CDHP enrollees are 30 percent more likely to track their health expenses than those in more traditional health insurance plans and 27 percent more likely to ask their doctors about the cost of treatment.

When it comes to health and wellness, CDHP enrollees appear more engaged and proactive in preventive health measures.  The survey found they are slightly more likely to have regular checkups, physicals, and preventive screenings than non-CDHP enrollees.  CDHP consumers also are more likely than people in traditional health plans to participate in health and wellness programs, including disease management, health coaching, nutrition and diet, smoking cessation, stress management, and exercise.