Health care purchasing among state employers. (Health Care Policy).

"Burdened by double-digit increases in premium rates and the rising cost of prescription drugs, state employers are in the midst of a mounting health care cost crisis. State [governments] are often the largest employers in their respective states, and the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) is the third largest purchaser of health benefits in the country. Many state governments also purchase for municipal/county employees, colleges and universities.

Almost all states reported collecting quality information about their health carriers. A smaller number devoted time and resources to health carrier quality management. Forty-six percent of state …