title: Opportunities are our future.
abstract: The national health care revolution is having especially important effects in California. Hospitals are closing, downsizing, or joining larger systems. Solo-practice physicians are joining group practices, which in turn are being purchased by large for-profit physician practice organizations. Companies that have in the past provided a single service, such as home medical equipment, home infusion, hospice, or home care, are joining forces to offer many services in an effort to appeal to payors who would rather contract with comprehensive providers. Coalitions of home health agencies are forming to better compete for managed care contracts. Home health care agencies are merging in anticipation of prospective pay and the need to spread administrative costs over a wider base. The driving force behind this revolution? Managed care.
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Gookin
mesh_terms: D004465:Economic Competition; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States