Data dissemination and publication - 35 Pa. Stat. Ann. § 449.7

The health care cost containment council will utilize data submitted by providers and other records and information available to it to prepare reports for the General Assembly and the public.  The council will do the following:

• Prepare and issue reports on provider quality and service effectiveness for diseases or procedures that represent the best opportunity to improve overall provider quality, patient safety and provider opportunities for cost reduction, including comparative information on the following:
  • Mortality rates;
  • Infection rates;
  • Complication rates;
  • Readmission rates;
  • Lengths of stay; and
  • Incidence rate of selected medical or surgical procedures.
• Provide special reports derived from raw data and a means for computer-to-computer access to its raw data to any entity purchasing health insurance for its employees or members.

The council must ensure that factors that may either reduce provider revenue or increase provider costs or that reduce provider competitiveness in the marketplace are explained in the reports. The council must also ensure that any clarifications submitted by individual providers are noted in any reports that include release of data on that individual provider.