As we inch closer to seeing how the House-approved American Health Care Act (AHCA) will shape American healthcare, there is still much uncertainty. The bill will surely see changes as it goes through the Senate but there are some clear paths that consultants are taking with their clients in anticipation and preparation.
As West Monroe's Healthcare and Life Sciences practice leader and managing director, Will Hinde, described to ALM Intelligence recently, "If regulatory changes take hold (i.e. changes to plan designs, competition across state borders), they will likely have a substantial impact on our clients who we will partner with to ensure regulatory compliance and implement any needed business changes. We believe that regardless of the regulatory environment, the industry will continue to focus on administrative cost reduction, improved customer experience, digital, analytics, and innovation."
So what does this mean in practice for healthcare consultants and their clients? ALM anticipates that healthcare clients will seek advisory in several areas that are "within their control" to manage while awaiting impending AHCA policy including Strategy and Operations, Digital, and Analytics, with technology underpinning all initiatives.
