MINNETONKA, MN – The United States could cut some $540 billion in health spending over 10 years by using healthcare IT to modernize administration and transactional aspects of healthcare, according to a new report by the UnitedHealth Group.

The report calls for providers to use automated cards to validate patient eligibility and benefits at the point of service, eliminating paper checks and remittance advice; integrating electronic medical records and personal health records; creating a national clearinghouse to audit and ensure correct payments; having all payers use a single credentialing and hospital privileging process; and standardizing physician performance measurement.

The 21-page report, titled "Health Care Cost Containment – How Technology Can Cut Red Tape and Simplify Health Care Administration," claims America is not getting good value for the $2.6 trillion it spends on healthcare. "Too few people have access to high quality care – and yet there is too much waste. Today the nation is once again grappling with how to respond," its authors said.

UnitedHealth Group officials say they support the goal of universal healthcare coverage, believing it's best achieved as part of fundamental modernization of how care is delivered. "So we accept our responsibility to contribute innovative ideas and options that would enable this to become reality," the authors said.

The UnitedHealth Group covers 70 million Americans nationwide. The report comes as the Senate considers health reform and wrangles over the cost of including a public health plan.

President Barack Obama has praised the current healthcare reform bill under consideration, saying it would help to keep health insurers "honest."