Beyond Insurance: Do You Know What Else is in the Law?

All of the political rancor during the past couple of years made it hard to remember that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act actually contains provisions beyond the insurance mandate. The 906-page law includes dozens of mandates that will dramatically change the way health care is accessed, delivered and paid for, some of which are already in place. Others have yet to be promulgated by the Department of Health & Human Services. The Supreme Court's landmark June 28 ruling on the law clears the way for implementation to move forward. Many of the key provisions impacting hospitals and health systems will unfold over the next couple of years and will likely spur a significant realignment of resources. To some extent, that is happening already under the banner of accountable care organizations. Here's a snapshot of some of the key provisions impacting hospitals and health systems in the Affordable Care Act.