On the Evidence

Rising healthcare costs in the U.S. threaten people’s access to treatment and services while reducing their ability to afford other necessities. Over the last decade, state policymakers across the political spectrum have responded to this urgent problem by passing legislation, setting up new government offices, and adding regulations to control healthcare spending. One critical element of states’ maturing strategies for addressing healthcare costs is high quality, timely, and accessible data. In the latest episode of Mathematica’s On the Evidence podcast, Jim Lloyd of the New Jersey Department of Health, Rachel Block of the Milbank Memorial Fund, and Julie Sonier of Mathematica discuss why rising healthcare costs present a complex and urgent issue, how states are responding, and the role of data in supporting solutions that address healthcare cost growth. “We have this healthcare system with much higher costs than other countries around the world, but we also have less access,” Lloyd explains. “There's an opportunity to be able to identify those costs that are contributing to quality, identify those costs that aren't, and then increase access and increase quality, potentially without increasing costs.” A blog summarizing the episode, with quotes from the guests and additional resources for further learning are available at https://mathematica.org/blogs/turning-data-into-solutions-for-reducing-healthcare-cost-growth-in-states