(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Congresswoman Corrine Brown highlighted a report released today by the Department of Health and Human Services that documents how patient safety has improved in the last few years, due in part to reforms in the Affordable Care Act.
“Today’s report documents that the Affordable Care Act is helping to save lives and billions of dollars a year,” said Congresswoman Brown. “There have been 1.3 million fewer hospital-acquired conditions, 50,000 lives saved, and $12 billion in health spending avoided from 2010 to 2013. Indeed, HHS’ report shows historic progress in improving patient safety and a precipitous drop in the number of lives lost and dollars wasted due to avoidable hospital-acquired conditions."
The data in today’s report shows demonstrable progress over a three-year period to improve patient safety in the hospital setting, with the most significant gains occurring in 2012 and 2013. According to the report, in 2013 alone, the reforms of the ACA have helped achieve 800,000 fewer hospital-acquired conditions, 35,000 fewer patients dying in hospitals, and $8 billion in health spending saved.
The Affordable Care Act has played a key role in these improvements in patient safety, through provisions such as Medicare payment incentives to hospitals to improve the quality of care and the HHS Partnership for Patients initiative.
“As this new report shows, the Affordable Care Act is significantly improving the quality of health care for all Americans, yet Republicans continue to call for the complete repeal of the ACA. Instead, we should all be working together to successfully implement the health care law. I will continue fighting to fully implement the law and ensure that my constituents have the health security, economic security, and patient safety they deserve.”