Glossary |
Our glossary of terms explains the jargon and defines the common acronyms you will come across at Health Care Reform Plans. Please email us at
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| Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System | The Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System was established in 2005 by the Commonwealth Fund (commonwealthfund.org) to revitalize the U.S. healthcare system. The Commission, made up of experts and leaders in healthcare and members of government, business, and academia, promotes a “high-performing health system that provides all Americans with affordable access to high-quality, safe, care while maximizing efficiency in its delivery and administration.” The Commission is especially concerned with “low-income families, the uninsured, racial and ethnic minorities, the young and the aged, and people in poor health.” (See commonwealthfund.org.)
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| Community health centers | Community health centers, administered by the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provide “healthcare regardless of your ability to pay and even if you have no health insurance,” according to the BPHC website. (See bphc.hrsa.gov.)
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| Community-based healthcare | Community-based healthcare is care provided through local nonprofit agencies
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| Consumer-based healthcare | Consumer-based healthcare (See Consumer-driven healthcare [CDHC].)
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| Consumer-directed healthcare | Consumer-directed healthcare (See Consumer-driven healthcare [CDHC].)
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| Consumer-driven healthcare (CDHC) | Consumer-driven healthcare (CDHC) refers to health insurance that requires members to use Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) or Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) for routine medical expenses. These high-deductible policies require members to pay more up front for care but are designed with the rationale of protecting members from catastrophic medical expenses. Proponents refer to CDHC as "consumer-directed healthcare" because they see these plans as giving patients a high level of control over their care. (See Health Savings Account and Health Reimbursement Arrangement..) Proponents also believe that this type of arrangement leads to a more market-driven health system, which is therefore more rational (i.e. prices reflect supply and demand, i.e. what consumers want/need most.) Consumers, through their choices, will create demand for certain types of services over others. Consumer-directed healthcare should, theoretically, also influence the cost of care through market forces. Groups that can offer a procedure or product at a lower cost but with similar or better quality to what other competitors offer should get a greater market share, while making consumers better off overall.
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| Direct healthcare costs | Direct healthcare costs refer to costs paid by an individual for doctors’ office visits, hospital care, nursing home care, and medications. An indirect cost, on the other hand, refers to the money (wages) lost by a person who has been disabled by illness.
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| Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) | Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) is the promotion of prescription drugs to the general public through advertising on television and the Internet and in newspapers and magazines. It is illegal in most developed nations with the exception of the United States and New Zealand.
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| Disease management (DM) | Disease management (DM) refers to the management of chronic diseases by patients in collaboration with physicians and other healthcare providers. Such programs aim to prevent the worsening of a chronic condition(s) by focusing on the patient’s adherence to a particular lifestyle plan that usually involves following a healthful diet, exercising, taking prescribed medications, and monitoring vital signs and the status of the disease. Proponents of DM want to improve patients’ health outcomes, reduce unnecessary care and procedures, and lower costs.
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| Drug Reimportation | Drug Reimportation describes the phenomenon of Americans buying drugs from countries other than the United States, either by traveling there (e.g. Canada) or over the internet. Proponents see this as a means to help Americans obtain less expensive drugs. Drug companies typically charge the highest prices for drugs in the United States because most other countries have ceilings on what they will pay for drugs. To recoup the cost of developing drugs, their makers say they must charge a higher price in the United States. In short, Americans pay the largest share of drug development costs. However, drug reimportation also raises serious legal and safety concerns at the current time.
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Glossary 
