Engaging the public in priorities for health through the CHAT exercise

Clinical Center

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Linked publications & trials

Abstract

This project involves the creation and and use of Choosing Healthplans All Together (CHAT), a small group decision exercise designed to give the public a voice in priority setting in efforts to make health care costs sustainable. It is intended to be used for research, policy and teaching purposes. Departments of Insurance in various states in the U.S. have used CHAT to determine public opinion about what should be included in basic health insurance packages for the uninsured. Some municipalities have used it to assess public priorities for direct service delivery to the uninsured. Two CHAT projects are in progress. One involves engagement of cancer patients and their family members in CHAT exercises to ascertain their priorities for Medicare insurance benefits for advanced cancer patients. A second project will ascertain the priorities of Swiss citizens for insurance benefits in each of the cantons of Switzerland.