Newspapers are abuzz with the daily drama of health politics. But we're also seeing good news -- stories highlighting health care success stories. High performing health systems across the U.S. show us that our goals for health reform -- high quality, low cost, and coverage for all Americans -- are possible. And in a reformed health care system with better and more sensible incentives and payment systems, we'll see even more innovation. These health systems might not be launching anyone into space, but they are caring for people, a job that requires just as much precision and thoughtfulness. They've got "the right stuff.'

Group Health Cooperative and Kaiser Permanente Northwest. Both health systems drew attention recently when Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) proposed co-ops as an alternative to a public health insurance option. The key to their success is spending more money up front on primary and preventative care, rather than waiting for health problems to become more serious and more costly, reports The Portland Oregonian. (We at New America have also worked with Group Health on Health Care CEOs for Health Care Reform.)

Group Health expanded their primary care staff by 30 percent to for better care coordination, and to give patients more time with doctors. The medical home model emphasizes preventative care -- the kind that keeps patients healthy, but isn't emphasized or well reimbursed in our traditional fee-for-service model. When doctors spend more time with their patients, doctors are happier and patients are happier and healthier. The investment in primary care paid off for the Group Health Cooperative in many ways. They saw a 30 percent reduction in ER admissions and an 11 percent reduction in avoidable hospital admissions, while quality and employee satisfaction went up. Those savings more than cover the investments in primary care, Group Health CEO Scott Armstrong said at an event on Capitol Hill earlier this summer.

Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. House visits are making resurgence in medical care, in more places than one. The latest comes from the VCU Medical Center in Richmond, VA, reports the LA Times. House visits allow doctors and nurses to stay in touch with patients by visiting them in their homes -- performing routine health check ups, asking and answering questions, and helping patients manage and adhere to treatment routines, such as taking their medication on time. Home visits are most helpful to those that are most vulnerable. It's often difficult for the elderly, or those with one or more chronic illnesses, (or both) to visit the doctors' office for a routine check up.

Helping vulnerable populations adhere to their prescribed treatment routine keeps them out of the hospital -- so patients stay healthier, get better, more personalized care, and the hospital actually saves money. Ten percent of Medicare beneficiaries account for almost two-thirds of Medicare spending, reports the LA Times. Though Medicare only pays for half of the home visits, VCU Medical Center covers the rest of the cost.

The LA Times also writes health reformers are considering making house visits a part of health reform. "This is one of the most promising ideas I have seen," Elaine Ryan, a vice president at AARP, told the LA Times. "It is not only a cost saver...it is something that addresses really the most critical issue for Medicare beneficiaries."(We've blogged about home visits several times, including here, here and here).

Geisinger Health System. Geisinger, a health system in rural PA, is mentioned often in conversations about high quality, low cost, innovative health care. Geisinger expands its quality care model, Proven Care, incrementally but continually. In the past, Geisinger improved widely utilized procedures such as hip replacement or cataract surgery by studying the procedure, coming up with a step-by-step formula for best practice (with flexibility where necessary), and paying a flat rate for each procedure. This saved money and improved quality, such as patient outcomes. Geisinger continues to improve and innovate, reports The Philadelphia Inquirer,

One of [Geisinger's] programs, Proven Health Navigator, gives Geisinger primary-care doctors a nurse who oversees the most chronically ill patients. By closely monitoring such measures as blood sugar levels, the nurses keep emergency-room visits -- and costs -- down. Another Geisinger program guarantees the price of heart surgery, recovery, and therapy from the day of diagnosis until 90 days after the operation, giving doctors and other providers incentives to avoid errors.

(The Washington Post's Ceci Connolly has also written about Geisinger, and so have we.)

For more real world examples of excellent health care delivery, check out our "What Works" page -- and then check back again as we're going to keep adding information.