Latest Commentary

Patient-centered care: An idea whose time has come

The seemingly simple idea of a patient-centered medical home (PCMH), which boils down to primary care physicians aggressively managing patient care for all stages of life and coordinating care with

Guest Commentary: Shared decision-making could cut costs and improve patient outcomes

Most of the nation's largest health plans and major hospitals and medical groups offer patients decision-making tools, such as videos and pamphlets, to educate them about the risks and benefits of

Guest Commentary: CMS no-pay policy hasn't reduced hospital-acquired conditions

Medicare and private insurers thought they were doing the right thing over the past two years by refusing to pay for additional hospital care for what they consider hospital-acquired conditions. But

Five areas where provider management needs to evolve

The world of insurance is changing. Reform is spurring on innovation in new products, new types of incentive models and new types of care models. But what might that mean for payers?

Service experience beats out cost in employer satisfaction with health plans

These days, most employers are paying attention to the affordability (i.e., managing total costs) of their health insurance. However, health insurers that don't offer rock-bottom pricing compared to

Three health insurance trends happening now: Self-funded insurance and other news

Exactly what the health insurance market will eventually look like under health reform is still anyone's guess. However, here are three trends that could indicate how the system will shake out: 1.

Medicaid managed care market is growing, but ...

From all accounts, Medicaid managed care is growing and poised for additional expansion as state Medicaid programs look for ways to cover a potential influx of 16 to 24 million new enrollees under

Do your hospital contracts require their own dictionary?

Last week, Kerry McDonald, a health plan veteran and CEO at the New York-area consulting firm Strategic Healthcare Alliances LLC, shared the first of two basic steps required to improve contract

Hospital contracting Part 1: Change your attitude

Contract negotiations between health insurers and hospitals have always been difficult, but these days they include a significantly higher level of tension as both sides deal with the lingering

Health information exchanges: Multiple benefits, no downside to early payer involvement

What are the pros and cons of getting to the table early on health information exchange (HIE) development and implementation? Consensus opinion is "there really is no downside," says James Bogdan,