March/April

Benefits May Outweigh Increase to Costs of Care

A panel discussion on healthcare reimbursement and payment fees at Diabetes Innovation 2012 that included leaders from diverse backgrounds in the healthcare industry was moderated by Susan Dentzer, editor-in-chief of Health Affairs and publisher of Project HOPE. Panelists included James (Larry) Holly, MD, chief executive officer of Southeast Texas Medical Associates (SETMA), LLP; Keith Shealy, MD, president of Mackey Family Practice; Laura Long, MD, MPH, vice president of clinical innovation for BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina; and Sam Ho, MD, chief medical officer and executive vice president at UnitedHealthcare.

Many healthcare communities have implemented programs to help patients with the plethora of issues that arise during the course of their medical care. Craig Brammer, a member of the Senior Leadership Team at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology in Washington, DC, moderated a session at Diabetes Innovation 2012 entitled State Based Solutions and Beacon Communities, which provided examples of how different healthcare communities have helped their patients with diabetes.