The Research and Evidence-Based Policy (REP) team in the Governor's Office of State Planning and Budgeting(OSPB) has reviewed programs in the Results First health policy area. The team has developed a program inventory of programs/services delivered in the state, ranked them on their predicted effectiveness based on national/state research, and estimated the benefits of these programs. Contrary to prior Results First reports, the traditional cost-benefit analysis could not be performed because limited cost data for health programs/services is available at the state level. Despite costs not being included, the team has included the projected monetary benefits of health programs,which are typically accrued over the lifetime of an individual receiving services.The REP team is reporting on the benefits of the programs but notes that without better cost data at the state level, it is difficult to get a comprehensive picture of whether these programs are cost-effective. The program inventories can be used though to determine whether a program is effective based on national and/or state research.
