Bob Atlas, a Strategic Advisor and President of EBG Advisors, Inc., and Philo D. Hall, an Associate in the firm’s Health Care and Life Sciences practice, were quoted in Managed Health Care Executive magazine, in “Top Four Industry Changes Coming Your Way; Prepare Now or Fall Behind,” by Karen Appold.
Following is an excerpt:
To prepare for big policy changes, Atlas advises anticipating what may be coming and modeling how it could affect your organization and its key stakeholders. "While right now there is no certainty about the shape of legislation, there are proposals from conservative groups that could be the basis of new policy," he says. "Sketch out possible scenarios, then prepare action plans for different potential outcomes. Then get going. For some, action will mean advocating early and assertively in the political arena. For most executives, action also means tailoring the healthcare organization's strategy and tactics to suit the new, altered reality. Waiting and hoping it won't affect you is not an option for a responsible healthcare leader." …
Regardless of any changes, Philo Hall, associate, Health Care and Life Sciences, Epstein Becker Green, says providers working with public and private payers can expect to face either lower fee-for-service rates or more demands to take risk (e.g., capitated payments, APMs), or both. "Executives should be cautious to not take on risk for costs that are outside of their control and therefore seek partners who can help them increase efficiencies and spread risk," he says.