Pilot program finds improving quality easier than lowering health care costs

The Wall Street Journal: Mixed Results In Health Pilot Plan
Lowering health-care costs is tougher than improving the quality of care, according to first-year results from a key pilot program under the federal health law. All of the 32 health systems in the so-called Pioneer Accountable Care Organization program improved patient care on quality measures such as cancer screenings and controlling blood pressure, according to data to be released Tuesday by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. But only 18 of the 32 managed to lower costs for the Medicare patients they treated-a major goal of the effort (Beck, 7/16).