News

Posted 04/18/2006

Dramatic changes in health care will occur as employers offer consumer-driven health plans and health savings accounts in significant numbers in the next three years. They will save significant cost and gain goodwill with most employees. Their actions will force radically new approaches among new and emerging providers to cut cost, improve measurable quality and shift to more convenient settings. For financial institutions, manufacturers, service suppliers, information purveyors and others who can help meet these market goals, the opportunities will be very large. This program will explore these strategic implications with special emphasis on those in the value chain other than conventional healthcare providers.

This workshop will explore the dynamics of the consumer-driven market and assess the speed, force and direction of change likely for the health system and those who interact with it. Attendees will simulate the choice process, assess the likely reaction of consumers and extrapolate to market opportunities for providers. From this data, the group will isolate strategic directions and market needs for those who sell information, services, and products to the delivery sector. The session also will explore intermediation opportunities and threats in the value chain for financial institutions, agents, wholesalers and other middlemen who have a secure place in the prior arrangements but are certain to be challenged by others in the new world order. Finally, the implications for employers of such changes will be analyzed as they face critical decisions.