Prospering in a post-health reform world
More than a year after the passage of a sweeping health reform law, new regulatory and funding changes continue to unfold. PwC's Health Research Institute (HRI) has devoted its resources to helping each sector (provider, payer, pharmaceutical and life sciences, and employers) understand the implications of health reform. The following reports take a cross-sector look at health reform.
Prospering in a post-reform world is a deep dive into how the new law is driving changes and how organizations can turn these challenges into new opportunities. The report concludes with a new vision for organizational strategy development that is based on cross-sector collaboration rather than siloed competition. Quick thinking: Four key findings from health reform is a short read, punctuated by HRI industry surveys, on health IT, physician-hospital alignment, mobile health, and the health insurance exchanges.Access in-depth research on key health reform provisions
PwC continually explores health policy proposals and their implications to the industry. The health reform legislation that passed in 2010 is the result of an evolution of ideas and debates on the complex and far-ranging aspects of access, finance and technology. For a deeper discussion of these issues, please consider these reports.
ACOs and hospital / physician alignment
In the land of uncertainty, a map to prepare for the ACO model
Is the drive to promote Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) an intriguing idea of the moment or a lasting trend? If the latter, should healthcare providers make their move now, or wait until the dust settles?
Stalking the ACO Unicorn
PwC has released a brief to address the implications of the proposed regulations for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). Included are key findings from the proposed Medicare regulations, an implementation timeline for the ACO program and frequently asked questions with corresponding answers.
Breakthroughs: The bridge to accountable care organizations (ACOs)
Health reform is encouraging healthcare providers to integrate resources to help bend the cost curve and increase efficiencies. Developing these "Accountable Care Organizations" has challenged organizations to develop their own strategies around clinical integration. This report shares insights and lessons learnt from leading hospital systems.
From courtship to marriage: A two-part series on physician-hospital alignment
The notion of independent physicians may be a myth because so-called independent physicians are becoming increasingly financially tethered to hospitals. In response to this trend, PwC released a two-part series on physician-hospital alignment.
Aligning hospitals and physicians toward value
In this report, four leading hospital systems share the lessons they have learned to help them: build physician input into the highest levels of the organization; get physicians and administrative leaders to use the same language; use more than one physician model toward the same goal; start the steps to sharing risk, and rewards for quality of care.
Medicare ACOs and shared savings models
This brief provides a financial analysis of the ACO opportunity, including a breakdown of ROI and cash flow possibilities.
Health IT
Old data learns new tricks: Managing patient privacy and security on a new data-sharing playground
Old data learns new tricks: Managing patient privacy and security on a new data-sharing playground
Data is quickly becoming one of the health industry's most treasured commodities. Yet, health organizations are acutely aware that sensitive data can be easily compromised. In just the last year and a half, a breach of personal health information occurred, on average, every other day.
Putting patients into "meaningful use"
In January 2011, the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services issued the draft set of criteria for Stage 2, which sets higher standards for communicating health information to patients. Stage 2, which begins October 2012, requires hospitals to have at least 20% of their patient populations using PHRs. This represents a big leap from what hospitals have been preparing for over the past year.
Ready or not: On the road to meaningful use of EHRs and health IT
Only half of hospitals will be ready to apply for the billions of dollars in stimulus funding for EHRs when it becomes available in 2011. Those hospitals that will be ready tend to be those who are working with patients, physicians and insurers on achieving what the government calls "meaningful use."
Breakthroughs: HIT that enables quality, efficiency and value
Meaningful use has the potential to better connect providers and payers by fostering seamless data exchange and collaboration across the healthcare continuum. Using the same or interoperable EHRs, providers and payers can more easily exchange clinical, financial, and benefits information.
Designing a health IT backbone for ACOs
The market for accountable care organizations (ACO) is generating a lot of interest and industry buzz. However, an ACO's success will hinge, at least in part, on its ability to share patient data at the point of care so health executives must prepare to explore a variety of options for designing the health information technology (IT) backbone for ACOs.
New opportunities
Top health industry issues of 2012
This year’s report provides more insight into the following trends: the impact of higher deductibles, how providers and insurers are teaming up for population health, potential drug shortages, health informatics, privacy and security, health insurance exchanges, pharma industry adapts to a post-blockbuster business model, social media in health, how politics may influence policy.
Change the channel: Health insurance exchanges expand choice and competition
Starting in 2014, insurers will compete head to head as health insurance exchanges open up consumer choice and a new $60 billion market.
The new gold rush: Prospectors are hoping to mine opportunities from the health industry
The new gold rush: Prospectors are hoping to mine opportunities from the health industry
PwC surveyed US consumers and found they would be willing to spend more than $13 billion a year of their own money on new services. It's the promise of those new products and services that is enticing more and more businesses to turn to the US health system as an opportunity for innovation, differentiation, and profits.
Build and Beyond: The (r)evolution of healthcare PPPs
Throughout the globe, Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are being crafted to make government and private industry more accountable for healthcare delivery and financing. This report tracks the evolution of the PPP models and explores how the capital and operational structure provided by PPPs can be leveraged more broadly to address government demands for greater efficiency in health spending.
The impact and implications for your business
More detailed content specific to each area of interest is available below by selecting the appropriate category.
How health reform is drawing from current market trends
In preparation for health reform, PwC hosted a series of briefings in autumn 2009 on what to expect and how legislation coming out of Washington, D.C. will impact the industry. These webcasts focused on themes that are embedded throughout the new health reform legislation:
Prospering in a post-reform world Spring 2010
Prospering in a post-reform world — Friday, April 23, 2010
Webcast
The well-publicized aspects of reform often refer to the challenges — new taxes, new regulations, and new administrative deadlines. Agile organizations, however, will take advantage of key opportunities available now as the rest of the industry tries to find its bearings.
PwC's Health Reform Industry Specialists
Have a question about how the changes in Washington D.C. may impact you and your business? PwC's subject matter specialists have been working with clients to answer their questions about the impact and opportunities that are present.
- Kelly Barnes
- US health industries leader
- Tel: +1 (214) 754 5172
- Robert Dondero
- US health industries advisory leader
- Tel: +1 (214) 754 7448
