§299b–2 Information on Quality and Cost of Care

Summary

The Director must run a national survey to gather information about how Americans use and pay for health care. The survey, starting in fiscal year 2001, must collect data on cost, use, and quality of care for the whole population, including rural people and the groups named in section 299(c). It must cover the kinds of services people get, how often they use them, who pays and how much, private insurance costs, access, satisfaction, and care quality. The Director must also build databases and tools that help States see how their residents get and use care and how good that care is. Starting in fiscal year 2001, the survey must find factors that affect health results and how well people can do daily activities, include the needs of the groups in section 299(c), and give data to study links between quality, outcomes, access, use, and cost over time and after policy changes. It must report quality and patient outcomes for common conditions for a national sample (including rural areas) and give reliable national estimates for children and people with special health care needs by using supplements or bigger survey rounds. When expanding the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (as it existed on December 6, 1999) in fiscal year 2001 to add quality information, the Director must consider outcome measures used by private accreditation groups. Beginning in fiscal year 2003, the Secretary must send Congress an annual report on national trends in health care quality.