Priorities for the U.S. Health Care System

The goal of the U.S. health care system is to provide care to all who need it while reducing costs. The most critical priorities are to increase access to care and improve quality.

Expanding access involves expanding provider networks, providing fee-based coverage, and improving population health and awareness of screening and prevention opportunities.

Improving quality means ensuring timely access to the right care, including appropriate treatment for illness and injury, as well as adherence to medical guidelines for diet and exercise, which can help prevent chronic conditions from developing in the first place.

Improving both access and quality can reduce overall costs by better managing medical expenses in the early stages when they are most common and most expensive.

In addition to expanding access and quality, there are also a number of specific challenges that need to be addressed in order to achieve these goals.

First, the rising cost of medicines is a major driver of health care spending today, so steps must be taken to lower costs through better drug utilization management, such as through the expanded use of generic drugs.

Second, there is an urgent need to improve coordination between primary care physicians (PCPs) and specialists, particularly with regards to complex conditions like cancer or heart failure; this coordination could lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment for patients who would otherwise have been seen only once or twice in their lifetime (see below).

Finally, technological innovation is needed in all areas of health care