Providers

Massachusetts' multi-year effort to transform its health system has accelerated consolidation among hospitals, improved revenue margins for many health plans and nudged providers into accepting new payment models as a way to control costs.

As implementation of the Affordable Care Act presses forward, questions remain about its impact on employers. The 2006 Massachusetts universal healthcare legislation provides a guidepost for employers considering a path forward and offers lessons learned.

The ratings culture in the US has exploded in the last decade with consumers turning to reviews for dining, shopping, vacationing, and even home improvements. Now, as they spend more of their own money on health and wellness, consumers are beginning to search for rating systems to guide their decision making.

The US healthcare industry experienced a variety of transformative pressures in 2012. Payers and provider organizations entered 2012 seeking resolution on the ultimate components of healthcare reform. The industry remains on uncertain footing with potential budget cuts in 2013 and beyond.

The healthcare industry is projected to experience a shortage in qualified information technology (IT) talent at a time when Health IT, or HIT, is increasingly critical to meeting business needs, consumer expectations, and regulatory requirements while capitalizing on new growth prospects.