When President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended on March 30, 2010 by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 into law (“Health Care Reform”), America’s health care delivery system fundamentally changed. Clearly the industry will be forced to respond to substantial new regulations and requirements that will take years to sort through and implement. Certainly, as skilled health care attorneys, the Blalock Walters’ Health Care Practice Group will work side by side with our clients to interpret and comply with the new laws. More importantly, however, we are committed to serving as business advisors to our clients to enable health care providers to reposition their businesses to take advantage of the changes coming in the marketplace. For instance, with approximately 35 million new entrants coming to the health care delivery system, providers who position their businesses to serve these new paying patients can enhance revenue. That said, with declining reimbursements, our clients must develop new business models that foster preservation of profits. Many of our clients are already implementing new cutting-edge models under our guidance to position their businesses for success moving forward.
In response to Health Care Reform, frequent communication with clients regarding the new laws and new strategies for responding to those laws will be critical. Blalock Walters’ Health Care Practice Group is committed to providing its clients with information and strategies that will enable its clients to not only respond to Health Care Reform, but perhaps reposition their businesses for continued success despite increasing economic pressures.
The first report will discuss changes in the law that may immediately affect your practice. Over the next several months, we will also send periodic newsletters regarding how Health Care Reform will impact the following areas: (1) Fraud and Abuse Rules; (2) Durable Medical Equipment; (3) Hospice and Home Health Providers; (4) Concierge Practices; (5) Ambulatory Surgery Centers; and (6) Long-Term Care Providers. Different provisions of the law have different implementation dates, and we will send announcements on new “hot topics” as additional information and recommendations surface.
