Leslie V. Norwalk, Strategic Counsel at Epstein Becker Green and EBG Advisors, Inc., in the firm’s Washington, DC, office, was quoted in Healthcare Financial Management Association, in “Should Hospitals Fear the Amazon-Berkshire-JP Morgan Entity?” by Rich Daly.
Following is an excerpt:
Although little is yet clear about the high-profile collaboration between three innovative companies, hospitals could see a range of impacts, industry watchers say.
Berkshire Hathaway, Amazon, and JP Morgan announced Jan. 30 the formation of a partnership to address health care for their U.S. employees, “with the aim of improving employee satisfaction and reducing costs,” according to a release. …
Leslie Norwalk, strategic counsel with Epstein Becker & Green, and acting administrator of CMS under Bush, said the partnership could expand direct-to-employer contracting by providers.
The new company could still pay claims, like a traditional insurer, but change the way health care is provided or paid for.
“Employers might bring that change if they have, for example, HR departments that are perhaps more creative than we have seen at traditional insurance companies,” Norwalk said.