Depending on whom you believe, the Affordable Care Act is either the greatest thing since sliced bread or the end of civilization as we know it. The simple fact is most people probably don’t have a very strong grasp of the fundamental changes headed their way.
“We actually started implementing the change shortly after the ACA was passed,” says Greg Matis, senior counsel with SelectHealth. “There is a wave of significant changes that are scheduled to take place at the same time on Jan. 1, 2014.”
Matis sat down to discuss the five most fundamental changes coming to health care as the most significant sections of the ACA take effect:
1. Everyone qualifies for coverage
2. Everyone is required to have coverage
3. Some people get financial help
4. Coverage and costs are changing
5. There are new shopping choices
Matis says one of the biggest changes is the shift from a fee-for-service to a fee-for-value model. Essentially it’s incentivizing medical professionals to keep you healthy, not just to treat you when you get sick. He says it’s a shift that has been driven more by the market than by legislation.
“This is a huge shift in the industry,” says Matis. “It’s born from a recognition that our current system is unsustainable, that we need to change how we provide and pay for care.”
To help small businesses better understand the changes related to the ACA, the Salt Lake Chamber and the Utah Small Business Coalition are hosting the 2nd Annual Utah Small Business Summit with a focus on health care changes. That’s coming up Sept. 10 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Salt Palace. You can register here.
