WASHINGTON – Information technology would push some healthcare reform plans discussed last month in what the White House called a “breakthrough” meeting between President Barack Obama and representatives of insurance companies, doctors, hospitals and pharmaceutical firms.

Obama praised the groups, including America’s Health Insurance Plans, the American Hospital Association and the American Medical Association, who promised to do their part to reduce the rate of healthcare cost growth by $2 trillion over the next 10 years.

“Our message is clear: The private sector will do its part to bend the healthcare cost curve,” said AHIP President Karen Ignagni.

Some industry observers view the organizations’ cooperation on healthcare reform as designed to stave off a public health plan.

In response to a question about what the stakeholders might want off the table in exchange for their support on reform, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said: “There was no quid pro quo.”
“Finding ways to eliminate the gaps in access to care and quality of care for minorities is a key component to healthcare reform,” said Rich Umbdenstock, CEO of the American Hospital Association.

Among the proposals with IT underpinnings are administrative simplification, standardization, transparency, aligning quality and efficiency incentives among providers, evidence-based best practices and therapies and chronic disease management. The groups were to report back on June 1 on how they plan to achieve their cost-cutting goals.