Let’s focus on the positive. Last week we tried to relax, but here we are – right back in the thick of things. It is all too much to do before the end of the year. And the regular news of the day is far too upsetting to acknowledge. So we look for happier news, like when someone dives into an icy lake to save a dog. USA Today must have sensed this need when it published its list of 50 positive quotes. One great one: “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela. We would argue with that except Nelson Mandela said it. In the One Thoughtful Paragraph below, we explore the positive aspects of things in health information policy.
We did our best to put a positive spin on the news this week:
- Sam Altman is back in charge of Open AI (the maker of ChatGPT, which was launched exactly one year ago)! With this happy news, we can expect artificial intelligence to take over our planet sooner rather than later. Nearly 770 employees who threatened to quit if he wasn’t reinstated as CEO can’t be wrong, right?
- Physicians unite to get paid faster! A small but bipartisan group of physician-U.S. House Members introduced The No Fees for EFTs Act, which would ban payers from adding fees to reimburse providers electronically.
- Seniors will no longer get scammed! The Office of Inspector General of HHS alerted Medicare enrollees of a remote patient monitoring scam – where fraudulent parties sign enrollees up for monthly billed services that are unnecessary and never provided. We are sure this alert is the main topic of discussion at every gin rummy game in assisted-living facilities across the country.
There are positive and wise people to follow in healthcare and Sachin Jain is one of them. So when he put out his top 10 healthcare industry predictions for 2024, we read them with great interest. Luckily, the doctor, professor, editor, and CEO gave a money-back guarantee because his predictions were decidedly without a positive spin. We respectfully disagree that 2024 will be without some advantages. He may be right that presidential candidates will avoid talking about Americans’ concerns about the healthcare system, clinical morale will continue to suffer, and mega-mergers will at least be attempted before the FTC tries to squash them. But we think 2024 will be a tipping point leading to solutions. Specifically, there are three major healthcare policies that are going to take off in 2024: healthcare price transparency, electronic prior authorization, and artificial intelligence regulation. The changing regulatory landscape to address fundamental, long-time problems represents a major cultural shift in how our system operates. Change is always wildly uncomfortable at first. But, as Nelson Mandela told us, things always seem impossible until they are done. Or as Tina Fey said, “You can’t be that kid standing at the top of the waterslide, overthinking it. You have to go down the chute.”
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