title: No small change: payment trends call for big preparations for 2006.
abstract: Payment trends that hospitals will need to respond to in 2006 are related to five areas of concern: The need to audit commercial insurers' payment for accuracy. The need for contract modeling and data-driven organization. The shift of volume risk from payers to hospitals. The shift of cost risk from payers to hospitals. The rise of consumer-directed health plans and related pay-for-performance and tiered pricing initiatives.
authors.affiliation: Managed Care Services, St Vincent Health, Indianapolis, USA.
authors.forename: Martin J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: D'Cruz
authors.forename: Terri L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Welter
mesh_terms: D005377:Financial Management, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012051:Reimbursement Mechanisms / Q000639:trends*; D014481:United States