Meaningful Healthcare Reform

When Will It Happen? What Will It Look Like?
And What Should My Organization Do To Prepare?

Thursday, March 31, 2005

Since the inauguration of Medicare and Medicaid in the mid-sixties, there has been a surge of interest in healthcare reform every 5 to 10 years. As healthcare cost inflation has begun to rise again at an alarming rate, businesses have reduced benefits and transferred costs to their employees. State governments are also reducing insurance coverage, causing the percentage of uninsured and underinsured Americans to rise.

Inefficiencies in healthcare continue to be excessive. The Mid-West Business Group on Health/Juran Institute has determined that in 2002 the direct cost of overuse, misuse and waste in the healthcare system accounted for $390 billion (30% of total expenditures!). Indirect costs (productivity loss, absenteeism) resulting from these inefficiencies account for another $97.5 billion to $195 billion. In summary, they found the total cost of poor quality accounts for $1,700 to $2,000 per employee and there is a growing recognition that we are not getting our money’s worth. While spending the highest percent of GNP on healthcare in the world, the United States still has mortality and morbidity statistics that lag most industrialized nations.

The President, the Governor of Massachusetts, National and State Legislatures, as well as State Hospital Associations and Advocacy Groups, all have proposals and guidelines for healthcare reform and the pressure is rising once again to create change.

This conference will focus on the following questions:

• Will we finally be able to develop a consensus and create meaningful change?
• How can we provide excellent access and coverage (including real prescription drug coverage) to all, especially for our elderly and children?
• How can we reduce or reverse the escalation in costs?
• As a provider, what should my organization be doing to position ourselves for this change?

Faculty (see detail)

Join this very distinguished faculty for a stimulating morning of discussion:

Charles Baker
President and CEO, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc.

Ellen Zane
President & CEO, Tufts-New England Medical Center and Floating Hospital for Children

John McDonough
Executive Director, Health Care for All, Massachusetts’ leading consumer health advocacy organization

Senator Richard Moore
Chair of Health Care Financing Committee

Kerry Healy
Lt. Governor of Massachusetts

Agenda

Crowne Plaza
2 Forbes Road
Woburn , MA 01801
781-932-0999
directions

Conference Fee
$89 HCMA Members
$159 Non-members
In memory of David M. Kinzer Healthcare Administration Students may attend free of charge.
(A completed registration form is still required.)

registration form (pdf)

Questions call Donna Powell
HCMA Administrator
978-692-3548

Program Sponsored By:

DiGiorgio Associates
ZurickDavis & ZDmd
Fidelity Investments Tax-Exempt Services Company
Nixon Peabody LLP