Government policy, the economy, and drug costs are just a few of the factors fueling the movement toward consumer-directed healthcare. The emerging models of care seek to make healthcare costs transparent to consumers. Now more than ever, healthcare organizations will need to justify the costs of their services to both payers and patients.

Learn how to arm your organization to respond to increasing demands. This book explains what consumer-directed products are entering the market, how to position your organization to respond to these models, and what strategies to use during negotiations with insurers. A payer contract checklist is included to help you evaluate contracts.

The book also touches on the effect consumer-directed care will have on teaching hospitals and those hospitals providing a greater portion of indigent care. The author explores possible long-term scenarios, including a return to billed charges, rates based on a percentage of Medicare, and the development of a national health plan.