Homeopathic Heal Information - News about alternative medicine

Healthcare Faces Pivotal Year, Says PricewaterhouseCoopers? Health Research Institute in its Annual Review of the Top Health Issues of 2008

New York, NY (PRWEB) December 19, 2007 -- The health industries face a pivotal year ahead according to PricewaterhouseCoopers? Health Research Institute in its new report, the Top Eight Health Industry Issues in 2008 (http://www.pwc.com/hri) released today.

PricewaterhouseCoopers? Health Research Institute identifies the following eight issues that will dominate health industry discussions in 2008:

?    Retirees Will Play a Greater Role in Funding Their Healthcare Coverage

Three quarters of executives at multi-national companies surveyed by PricewaterhouseCoopers said that while employers should help provide access to affordable retiree health benefits (http://www.pwc.com/extweb/pwcpublications.nsf/docid/BC26B0AC46AE856F852572C1005E6909), they no longer should be expected to pay for it. Is this the bell tolling for retiree health coverage? PwC's report suggests that employers may reexamine their approach to retiree healthcare by capping or eliminating traditional retiree benefits from their balance sheets and shifting toward ?defined contribution? or ?no contribution? approaches.

?    Retail Health Clinics (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=pwc.com%2Fhri) Will Challenge Primary Care Models

Driven by consumer demand for convenient and lower-cost medical care, the number of retail clinics in discount chain stores, grocery stores and drugstores is expected to quadruple, from 700 today to more than 3,000 in five years. In the year ahead, states, payers and policymakers will be crafting legislation and policies applicable to this new breed of healthcare provider, which lacks uniform regulation and quality controls.

?    New Medicare Payment (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=pwc.com%2Fhri) System Will Create Hospital Winners and Losers

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has changed the way it pays hospitals to recognize the severity of illness among patients. Hospitals that treat sicker patients will be reimbursed more for doing so, potentially leveling the playing field among hospitals. That, combined with CMS?s new stance to not pay for certain conditions resulting from medical errors mean some hospitals may see a decline in revenue. In 2008, watch for private payers to follow in CMS?s footsteps and an increased demand for medical coding staff.

?    Individual Health Insurance (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=pwc.com%2Fhri) Could Take Off

Typically more expensive than group health insurance, individual health insurance could see market growth as more states mandate health insurance and if an individual mandate or additional tax incentives come to fruition from proposals by Republican and Democratic presidential candidates. Hospitals and other providers may suffer if plans offer limited benefits, but in the long run would benefit from fewer uninsured Americans.

?    Increased M&A Between Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Companies

Revenue growth is down for Big Pharma: The pipeline of new drugs coming to market is thinning, brand drugs are coming off patent, and the cost of bringing new drugs to market is increasing. To address these woes, Big Pharma is joining forces with life sciences companies. With these collaborations, life sciences companies are now driving the industry where big pharmaceutical companies once had a significant advantage. Look for greater collaboration through mergers, collaborative risk-sharing, joint ventures and other co-development and co-promotion arrangements.

?    Asia Plays Bigger Role in the Pharmaceutical Industry, but Safety Concerns Loom

Asia is poised to become one of the world?s largest pharmaceutical consumers and producers. The rising cost of drug discovery has led pharmaceutical companies to look outside the U.S. for a less expensive workforce and to outsource both clinical development and manufacturing operations overseas. Yet there are significant concerns regarding Asia's uneven protection of intellectual property rights and Asian drug safety.

?    FDA Tightens Medical Device and Drug Safety (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=pwc.com%2Fhri) Standards

Congress granted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration increased authority over post-market drug safety and the ability to require increased safety standards from drug companies. Under new FDA guidance, the pharmaceutical industry will face even more regulatory burdens. Look for payers to report to the FDA insurance claims data that identify patterns of adverse reactions to certain medications, such as with off-label drugs prescribed for use in ways not approved by the FDA.

?    IRS to Seek Full Accounting of Hospital Community Benefit (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=pwc.com%2Fhri)

The Internal Revenue Service wants hospitals to provide a full accounting of the benefits they provide to the community, reported in a uniform manner, as part of their annual tax return to the IRS, submitted on the proposed 2008 Form 990 and available for public inspection. In 2008, tax-exempt hospitals will need to start tracking community benefit efforts so that when and if required, they can accurately report their activities for the year.

?The future strategies of hospitals, insurers, pharmaceutical and life sciences companies will be influenced by government policies, market pressures and global trends," said R. Carter Pate, Global and U.S. health industries and government services leader, PricewaterhouseCoopers. ?With healthcare costs taking a bigger bite out of the assets of individuals, businesses and the U.S. economy, there is a demand for greater accountability from the health industries and demonstration of the value for the money.?

A full copy of PricewaterhouseCoopers? Health Research Institute's Top Eight Health Industry issues in 2008 is available online at http://www.pwc.com/hri

About the PricewaterhouseCoopers Health Research Institute:

PricewaterhouseCoopers Health Research Institute (http://www.pwc.com/hri) provides new intelligence, perspective and analysis on trends affecting all health-related industries, including health care providers, pharmaceuticals, health and life sciences and payers. The Institute is part of PricewaterhouseCoopers? larger initiative for the health-related industries that brings together expertise and allows collaboration across all sectors in the health continuum.

About PricewaterhouseCoopers:

PricewaterhouseCoopers provides industry-focused assurance, tax and advisory services to build public trust and enhance value for its clients and their stakeholders. More than 146,000 people in 150 countries across our network share their thinking, experience and solutions to develop fresh perspectives and practical advice.

"PricewaterhouseCoopers" refers to the network of member firms of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity.

Contacts:                

Lisa Stearns

The Hubbell Group, Inc

(781) 878-8882

Todd Hall    

PricewaterhouseCoopers        

(617) 530-4185

###

# # #

Bach Flower Therapy
About this therapy
Bach Flower Essences Shop (German)
Bach Flower Essences Shop (UK)
Where to buy Original Bach Flower Remedies
Doc Nature - Bach Flower Remedies Advisor
How to use Bach Flowers
About Bach Flower Remedies & Essences
Dr Bach
Read more about the life of Dr Bach

MORE ARTICLES:

Information About Shih Tzu Nutrition
Shih Tzu nutrition is a vital topic to discuss as the nutrition is intrinsically related with all developmental changes of a Shih Tzu And as well a lack of nutrition can cause poor health and other interrelated health complications

Using Some Natural Remedies Constipation
There are basically two basic types of constipation - organic and functional. Organic constipation is the result of some physical change, obstruction, or distortion in your colon. This type of constipation actually needs immediate attention from a doctor.

LASIK Surgery Information
If you are planning to undergo a LASIK surgery then this article is certainly meant for you. LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis and is a procedure that permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye, using an excimer laser. Many of us consider this operation to be fairly easy which assures the elimination of eyeglasses or contacts and restoration of a correct vision. But the experts say that this common perception is indeed wrong. Although LASIK is a vision correcting surgery performed with ease, the scenario of undergoing this surgery has to be dealt with a more practical approach. One has to be aware of the complete process and the outcomes before undergoing LASIK surgery. Here ...

SPORTSMITH Releases 2007 Summer Edition Catalog, the Ultimate Fitness Equipment Reference Tool for Health Club Operators
SPORTSMITH President Brad Schupp announces the release of the 2007 Summer Edition Catalog.

If You Want to Enjoy Optimum Good Health A Multivitamin Can Help
It's never too late to change your habits, and if you are not in the habit of taking a multivitamin supplement regularly, it's time you did. Altering your behavior in this one respect will greatly improve your chances of living a long and healthy life.

Have Your New Year's Resolutions Survived Winter? San Francisco Physical Therapist Provides Tips to Get Health Back on Track
Keeping New Year's Resolutions is difficult, but possible, using a few simple steps and strategies to get your health back on track.

Three Tips For Finding Affordable Health Insurance Quotes
If you are in need of health insurance for yourself or your family I've got a bit of good news for you. Health insurance quotes are both free and readily available in many places, both online and offline. Let me ask you this. Do you know what type of health insurance plan you'll be needing, such as an individual or family plan? Let's take a quick look at a few of your options.

Little Known Acne Medicine From Germany Provides Promising Results For Acne Suffers Worldwide
A little known but revolutionary acne medicine only made by a few chemists and nature therapists in the world called Kamille Zinci is proving to be a strong ally in the fight against embarrassing acne.

Information on Car Loans for Poor Credit
Many assume that it is impossible to attain an auto loan when you have a bad credit rating. This assumption is quite far from the truth. Though it may seem difficult to find an auto loan when you have a bad credit, it is definitely not impossible. In recent years, poor credit auto loan business has significantly grown. The reason being that there is a greater number of people with a bad credit history.

Green Tea: The Best Medicine for High Cholesterol?
Tea was reportedly discovered by a Chinese emperor some 40 centuries ago. And, legend has it, the discovery was purely by accident. But that coincidental discovery has improved the health of people around the world, who have turned to green tea in particular to help soothe their pains, improve their digestion, alleviate their depression, boost their immune system, and perhaps even lengthen their lives. But what is it that makes green tea so beneficial to human health?

Ten Brain Health and Fitness Myths Debunked in New Whitepaper From SharpBrains
SharpBrains announces a new whitepaper featuring 11 interviews with leading neuroscientists, psychologists and experts in the USA, Japan, Israel and Sweden.

Author Matt Monarch Shares Information On The Importance Of Natural Juices, Enzymes, & Meditation
Hi, everyone, this is Kevin Gianni, and I?d like to welcome you to a very special Raw Summit Teleseminar, which can be found online at http://wwwrawsummitarchives

Health Magazines For Men: Why Every Guy Should Read Health Magazines For Men
If you're looking for the perfect gift for the guy who has everything, you might want to consider getting him some subscriptions to health magazines for men. When you purchase a gift subscription, you give the gift that keeps on giving. They're much better than a gift certificate or sweater, because a reminder of your present comes in the mail each month. Gift subscriptions to magazines are also very affordable gifts. In most cases, you can buy a full year's worth of magazines for $15 or less. At that rate, you can get several subscriptions to cover all of his interests!

All Your Actions Will Not Bear Any Fruit Unless... Spirituality Information
Can you stop the leap of the snake which intends to bite you?