Providing financial incentives for receiving care from a cost-effective provider has been used to control costs by state public employee insurance programs for years, according to Kaiser Health News. This strategy is also making its way into the public sector. In New Hampshire, a school nurse received $50 for choosing a facility for a mammogram and $25 for laboratory testing, Kaiser reported. These financial incentives are a share of the cost-savings generated from choosing specific providers and may successfully reduce overall health care spending, according to the article.
Although the federal government has authorized additional funding to fight the opioid epidemic, states say the money is not available yet and they are struggling to meet the treatment demands, according to Kaiser Health News. The Oklahoma Behavioral Health Association—which represents addiction treatment providers—has been instructed to cut more than $2 million from their budget. The cut for treatment also prevents the organization from providing homes, food, shelter, clothing, health care, and other services that are necessary for successful rehabilitation, according to the article.
