Despite this momentum and the usefulness of APCDs, the Supreme Court’s March 2016 decision in Gobeille v. Liberty Mutual struck a major blow to the viability of APCDs by prohibiting state-mandated reporting from self-insured employer plans, which cover more than half of commercially insured Americans. Yet, paradoxically, Gobeille may improve the prospects for APCDs. Achieving the Triple Aim —
better experience of care, better population health, and lower costs — will require comprehensive understanding of health care markets and practice, and current data sources remain inadequate. Despite challenges, APCDs offer multiple benefits for health system improvement, health policy, and research.
