Subsidize health tests

Re “ ‘Superbug’ staph reports required,” Feb. 15

The California Department of Public Health’s move to require local health departments to report severe infections originating outside healthcare facilities is an important first step in controlling the spread of antibiotic-resistant staph infections. But much more needs to be done.

Expanding reporting requirements to hospitals is important but will not fully address the problem of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, if hospitals have no incentive to provide accurate data.

Combining a reporting requirement with subsidies for testing patients coming into the hospital to see if they are carrying MRSA may encourage better infection control. A further step may be to encourage Medicare and Medicaid to refuse payment for infections acquired during hospitalizations. Currently, hospitals pass on the costs of most hospital-acquired infections to Medicare and commercial insurers, and may actually benefit from longer hospital stays.

Ramanan Laxminarayan

Senior Fellow, Resources for the Future

Washington

Anup Malani

Professor, Law School

University of Chicago