Blog- The Future of Healthcare in America
The Future of Healthcare in America
I was recently on a call with a large national US Health funder who asked us the question, “Where is the field of collective impact in healthcare headed?” This question gave me pause, and while I don’t have a crystal ball to project the future, I do have a sense that there is huge opportunity for collective impact in the healthcare space and that opportunity is only growing.
The Affordable Care Act, is going to drastically change healthcare in America as it is rolled out over the next five years, like it or not. There are many questions around what the impact will look like, for patients, for doctors, for insurers, etc., and the truth is, no one really knows for certain. However, there are a few things that seem pretty certain. First, upfront spending in the sector broadly is going to increase; people are going to be buying more insurance coverage because they will be required by the government to do so. Also, the government is going to be providing more support for those who cannot afford insurance, so in addition to individuals, the government will also be putting more money into the system. With more money in the system all around, there will undoubtedly be greater scrutiny into the system as people ask how that money is spent. This isn’t an accident; the new healthcare system has been set up to encourage individuals and payers (i.e., insurance companies, Medicare, Medicaid etc.) to think more about their healthcare spending and the value they are getting for the money that is being spent.
