We thank Ashish Jha and colleagues for their contributions to understanding disparities in the quality and cost of health care (Oct 2011). We agree with them on the need to improve quality broadly and to reduce disparities in health care. Payment reform, including value-based purchasing, is a critical mechanism by which the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) can implement the National Quality Strategy of the Department of Health and Human Services and improve health care for all Americans.
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