In America's Health Insurance Plans' ideal world the health care system is pay-for-performance, disease management and prevention are core values and doctors, patients and payers would be able to compare treatments to guide clinical decisions. That's just some of what AHIP had to say with its proposed policy changes.

AHIP says, if implemented, the plan could save the nation $145 billion by the year 2015

-- an estimate that was reviewed and okayed by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The group's initiative is part of an 18-month effort to map out solutions to make health care more affordable and less segmented through a public-private effort.

"The nation faces complex health care challenges and only an integrated strategy that addresses costs, quality and access will bend the cost curve and allow the country to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable health care," said Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of AHIP.

The proposal outlines principals or concepts that are gaining traction and advancing the state of health care. Following each principal is an actionable proposal for the public and private sectors.

• Principle #1: Patients and their doctors must have the information and tools they need to evaluate treatment options and make health care decisions on the basis of safety, quality and cost.
  AHIP Proposal: Access to information that compares the effectiveness and cost of treatments --Give providers, patients and purchasers access to a trusted source where they can find up-to-date and objective information on which health care services are most effective and provide the best value.

• Principle #2: Patients and doctors want an efficient, interconnected health care delivery system that reduces medical errors.
  AHIP Proposal: Health information technology --Encourage widespread adoption of tools such as electronic health records (EHRs), personal health records (PHRs), secure e-visits with physicians and e-prescribing.

• Principle #3: Doctors and nurses need the freedom to practice medicine without worrying about frivolous lawsuits.
  AHIP Proposal: Reforming the legal system --Replace the current medical liability system with a dispute resolution process consisting of an objective, independent administrative process to provide quick and fair resolution to disputes while promoting evidence-based medicine.

• Principle #4: Health insurance plans are transitioning to a system that more closely aligns payments with the quality of care patients receive.
  AHIP Proposal: Build health care reform around quality improvement by rewarding safety, value and effectiveness -- Work for the broader adoption of value-based reimbursement mechanisms and provide consumers with more actionable information about health care value.

• Principle #5: The nation must move towards a system of care that focuses on keeping people healthy, detects disease at the earliest possible stage and rewards chronic care management.
  AHIP Proposal: Enhanced disease management, care coordination and prevention programs -- Deploy a new generation of strategies that emphasize prevention, improve chronic care and tailor healthcare for patients to help them live longer and stay healthier.