First few Article Sentences
Employers cover nearly half of the U.S. population, and Medicare and Medicaid cover an additional one-third. Most of the money in the health care system comes from employers, employees and taxpayers. As "purchasers" of health care, employers and government payers want to make sure we're getting good value for our money.
Historically, however, the purchaser voice has not been as strong as it could or should be. Despite the efforts of many corporate and government leaders, collectively we haven't pushed for improved value consistently and forcefully. As a result, our health care system continues to deliver inconsistent quality and high costs. One reason for the relatively quiet purchaser voice is the fragmented the purchaser community; we haven't been working together as much as we could.