The Transformation of Corporate Health Care Purchasing

How widespread are innovations in health care purchasing by large employers? The researchers built on their prior study of fourteen large U.S. companies to develop a better understanding of how and by whom health care is purchased within large, Fortune 500, firms. The study focused on the use of procurement practices such as competitive bidding, benchmarking and quality standards as well as on the organizational arrangements used to implement them. The objective of this project was to identify "best practices" among the companies and analyze the consequences and implications of changes in practice for firms, employers, and public policy.