Are consumer financial incentives cost effective?
Few studies explore the cost-effectiveness of incentive programs, taking into account the cost of marketing and of the incentive itself in relation to the desired outcome. Many current transparency initiatives can be evaluated for their impact on system performance. For example, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is supporting a network of local collaborative organizations that are working to improve quality and value in health care by assessing the performance of local health care providers and reporting these findings publicly. Under the plan, HHS will select qualified regional collaboratives, referred to as Value Exchanges, which will be encouraged to implement provider and consumer incentives along with public report cards. In addition, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation recently launched its Aligning Forces for Quality program with 14 pilot projects. This initiative is designed to help communities advance the quality of chronic care by: • Working with providers to i
