Payers and Providers Seek Common Ground on Costs, Technology, and Value-Based Care

Rising costs, strained provider networks, and outdated administrative processes continue to destabilize the US health care system, leaving both patients and employers grappling with uncertainty. At the Greater Philadelphia Business Coalition on Health (GPBCH) annual conference, a session titled “Merge Ahead: The Health System and Payer Dynamic” brought together leaders from both the provider and payer sides to examine the financial, technological, and operational changes needed to sustain care delivery.

Pressures on Hospitals and Payers

Tom Belmont, president and CEO of GPBCH, opened the session by pointing to the instability that arises when hospitals are threatened with removal from insurer networks, a disruption that leaves patients with limited options. He recalled the closure of Crozer Health and its ripple effects across Delaware County as an example of how hospital closures destabilize communities. He also shared an anecdote from an international planning meeting where only half of the attendees could follow his remarks, a reminder of how complex and opaque health care remains, even among professionals.

Full Article