Congress passed healthcare reform a little more than two months ago, and now that the dust has begun to settle, experts and pollsters are weighing in on what to expect.
A new report by PricewaterhouseCoopers says opportunities are embedded in the new law that could favor healthcare providers, but healthcare executives will have to think outside the box to take advantage.
Kelly Barnes, U.S. health industries leader at PwC, said if health organizations make no other changes and sectors continue to operate in silos, the direct financial impact of healthcare reform could be devastating and even threaten the survival of some organizations.
New reimbursement models will favor hospital and physician alignment, including physician employment, over the traditional private practice model, according to Barnes. Bundled payments, accountable care organizations, medical homes, reduced readmissions and quality-based reimbursement will require hospitals and physicians to become partners in payment.
Hospitals could suffer reputation damage as these metrics are published online – now the most popular place for consumers to seek health information, she said. In addition, some quality metrics will be measured on a relative basis, resulting in increased pressure for hospitals to improve quality.
An AMN Healthcare survey of healthcare executives found nearly three-quarters fear reform will have a negative financial impact on their facilities.
More than 60 percent say the new law will have a somewhat or very detrimental effect on the quality of care their facilities are able to provide. Only 22 percent were greatly or moderately pleased by the passage of healthcare reform.
The Kaiser Family Foundation is taking a monthly public poll.
“As reform leaves the white hot media spotlight, strong emotions are somewhat less widespread,” Kaiser researchers said of the organization’s May 2010 findings. Public confusion over the reform law has dropped 10 percent since last month, but is still at 44 percent.
If providers are hoping to ride this out until Congress repeals the law, think again. At the American Hospital Association Annual Conference this spring, former Senate Majority Leaders Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) both agreed that’s not likely to happen.