Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/164052
Sign up for the COMPLIMENTARY Becker's Hospital Review CEO Report & CFO Report E-Weeklies at www.BeckersHospitalReview.com or call (800) 417-2035 7 Publisher's Letter 5 Healthcare Trends; Becker's Hospital Review CEO Strategy Roundtable 5 key trends in healthcare for 2013 It has been a fascinating first half of the year in the healthcare industry. The industry continues to evolve, due in part to several key issues impacting healthcare delivery today. Below we present what we believe are the five biggest issues facing hospitals and healthcare systems, surgery centers and physician practices this year. 1. High-deductible health plans. The shifting focus to high-deductible insurance plans by private employers is likely to seriously impact healthcare provider margins. As implementation of the Patient Protection and Accountable Care Act begins, it is becoming clear that many employers will begin to move toward HDHPs to keep their insurance costs reasonable. HDHPs are likely to impact the healthcare industry by slowing consumer use of healthcare resources. While consumers may not yet have the tools or transparency to really fully begin price shopping for health services, HDHPs will likely lead to more immediate caution in consumer spending. That is, providers often see a slowdown in the first couple months of the year as patients are paying for their own services out of pocket. This period of spending caution may extend for several more months. For a great synopsis of the impact of high-deductible plans on spending, see "High Deductible Health Plan Study: Five Takeaways" from the California Healthcare Foundation. 2. Healthcare insurance exchanges. The development of healthcare insurance exchanges, recently rebranded as "marketplaces" by the Obama administration, is moving more slowly than expected. However, this slower pace in becoming operational may be good news for providers, as the healthcare exchanges will likely pay providers at lower rates for their services. The predicted migration of business from commercial payers to healthcare exchanges is an issue of great concern to providers. For additional information on healthcare insurance exchanges, please see the Fitch Ratings' report "Health Insurance Exchange Clarity Needed to Gauge Impact," in which Fitch notes that hospitals are likely to be paid lower amounts under healthcare exchanges than those they receive from commercial insurance. 3. Healthcare consolidation. While a number of independent hospitals remain steadfast in retaining their independence, we continue to see independent hospitals entering into discussions regarding mergers and affiliations with larger partners. Many hospitals remain very concerned about their ability to stay independent long-term in a changing environment where future reimbursement is uncertain. However, independent hospitals that can 1) be dominant in their independent market, 2) operate in a very lean way, and/or 3) excel in a specific area, may be able to stay independent for a long time. For a different view of healthcare consolidation, please see "Healthcare Consolidation May Bend the Cost Curve the Wrong Way," by Mitchell Brooks (March 16, 2012) at KevinMD.com. THE T RNAROUND EXPERTS ® PROFITS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO PARTNERS IN AS FEW AS 90 DAYS SUCCESS IN THE SURGERY CENTER INDUSTRY ISN'T CLAIMED. IT'S EARNED. W hen many ASC companies were being for med 10 years ago, ASCOA was already delivering outstanding care to patients and the indu st r y's best prof it margins to its center partners. For f reestanding ASCs or Hospital J Vs, see why ASCOA is called the Tur naround Ex perts.® ASCOA.COM 866-98ASCOA AMBULATORY SURGICAL CENTERS of AMERICASM