Ceci Connolly

PwC discusses five big hospital-industry trends that are  likely to continue, whatever happens to the Affordable Care Act at the Supreme Court.

“These trends are much bigger and more powerful then what’s contained in the act itself because the industry is shifting, and entrepreneurs and investors have seen opportunities in the $2.9 trillion health sector, and they have taken the ACA as a jumping-off point,” Ceci Connolly, managing director of PwC’s Health Research Institute, told  FierceHealthcare.

“The shift to value-based care. ”

“A renewed focus on primary care. 

“The ACA recognized the importance of physician extenders, who provide routine care while steering sicker patients to specialists. As the number of newly insured patients continues to rise, the industry will rely more on nurse practitioners and physician assistants to meet the growing demand for primary care, the report notes.”

“A new emphasis on innovation. More than 90 new companies were created since the law took effect in 2010, according to the analysis. These new entrants rushed into the market to meet the demand for lower-cost, consumer-oriented care options in the post ACA-era.”

“A move from wholesale health insurance to retail insurance. Rapid enrollment in the public exchanges shows the potential for retail-style health insurance and creates renewed interest in private exchanges….”

“A new focus on the state’s role in healthcare form. States are key players in the reconfigured healthcare landscape because the ACA gave states notable discretion in how they could implement the law. ”