June 01, 2009 Modern Healthcare Editor David Burda and Managing Editor Neil McLaughlin host panelists Allan Baumgarten of Managed Care Reviews, Larry Boress of the Midwest Business Group on Health, and Vicky Gregg of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Tennessee at the Spring 2009 CEO Roundtable in Chicago. ... FULL STORY
January 19, 2009 Healthcare construction was strong in 2008, setting a monthly record in June when new healthcare construction contracts totaled a record $2.7 billion. But this year, healthcare construction is expected to pull back, though not as much as in other segments such as retail and residential. ... FULL STORY
January 19, 2009 The economic recession is likely to be a two-sided coin for major insurers. On one side, they could see their medical costs drop as patients delay or forgo care because they have either lost their insurance or they can no longer afford the out-of-pocket costs. This is good news for insurers’... ... FULL STORY
January 19, 2009 The fears of physician owners in 2008 are expected to become a reality this year as Congress will more than likely re-introduce legislation to restrict physician ownership and discourage future growth in this segment. ... FULL STORY
January 19, 2009 According to one bearish analyst, 2009 just might be the beginning of the end of profits for investor-owned hospital chains. The sinking economy is a big factor, but longer term, the analyst sees two big negatives that others see as positives—universal coverage and the aging population. ... FULL STORY
January 19, 2009 In an effort to cut spending while maintaining quality, look for hospitals and lawmakers to make a greater push to break manufacturers’ influence on physicians’ selection of expensive—but not necessarily clinically superior—drugs and medical devices. ... FULL STORY
January 19, 2009 Last year's credit crisis has left borrowers with fewer—and more expensive—options to finance construction, technology and other big-ticket items. Limited access to affordable credit is expected to fuel merger-and-acquisition activity as weaker hospitals seek larger, more stable... ... FULL STORY
January 19, 2009 Although President Obama isn’t likely to get everything he called for in his proposals during the campaign, look for the U.S. to inch closer to a form of universal coverage. And first out of the gates is another economic stimulus package that will include healthcare provisions. ... FULL STORY
January 19, 2009 Look for 2009 to mark the return of real privacy consideration and enforcement in healthcare IT after two terms of lip service and reversals by the Bush administration. Meanwhile, it’s almost a forgone conclusion that Uncle Sam will throw billions of dollars at health IT. The only question is... ... FULL STORY
January 19, 2009 Organized labor activity increased in 2008, a trend expected to accelerate this year. The single biggest factor that will drive continued growth is the ascendancy of union-friendly Democrats in the federal government, including Barack Obama, who has said he favors passage of the Employee Free... ... FULL STORY
January 19, 2009 How will the new Obama administration affect healthcare the healthcare regulatory environment? An early test comes in March when a moratorium will expire on a series of Medicaid regulations that hospitals say would trim billions of dollars from the program and potentially jeopardize care. ... FULL STORY
January 19, 2009 Last year, the quality field introduced a wide range of clinical-improvement initiatives to help reduce medical errors. Expect those efforts to become much more targeted and specific to medical outcomes as quality proponents focus on improving episodes of care. Also look for the development of... ... FULL STORY
January 19, 2009 Watch for shifting in priorities in the agencies that police competition, fraud and abuse, and tax policy—and legislation that changes what they’re supposed to do, and what they’re allowed to do. ... FULL STORY
January 19, 2009 Will this finally be the year of healthcare reform? How will the massive economic stimulus plan being assembled in Washington affect healthcare? What about funding for Medicare and Medicaid? Modern Healthcare's 2009 outlook package provides some answers. ... FULL STORY
