Center for Healthcare Governance - Monographs

Health Care Reform and the Trustee’s Role

Overview:

Comprehensive health care reform legislation became law earlier this year. It was enacted in two parts: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed into law on March 23, 2010 and was amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act on March 30, 2010.The final, amended version of the law is known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The law will go into effect over time, with September 23, 2010, marking the starting point for various reforms.

There are multiple parts to the bill, many requiring development of regulations by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Consequently, there will be a lot of work done behind the scenes to implement the bill and many demonstration projects conducted to test innovative approaches to fulfill the bill's intent and requirements.

The passage of health care reform legislation has several implications for trustees, who must not only understand the legislation, but also how it impacts their organizations and what it means for governance.

Much uncertainty still exists around the implications of the health care reform bill. But three things are certain. For hospitals, health care reform will result in more integration, more accountability and more risk. In the current climate of reform, the role of trustee has never been more critical to the success of our hospitals and systems-and the challenges have never been greater. This monograph reviews key components of the new law and suggests strategies boards can pursue to guide and govern their organizations through the changes and challenges ahead.

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