State of the Industry 2011: Introduction

Overall, readers are more pessimistic about the future than in State of the Industry surveys of the past, but much of the pessimism stems from uncertainty. Even though PPACA was signed into law in March, the secretary of Health and Human Services has hundreds of decisions to carry out that will require years of groundwork and far-reaching collaborative efforts with the private sector. For many logistical points, healthcare leaders must simply wait and see. However, once guidance for each PPACA measure is issued, implementation becomes a sudden race against the clock.

Nearly 650 readers completed the 2011 State of the Industry survey via an electronic invitation, including health plans, providers, consultants, administrative firms, pharmacy benefit managers, disease management companies and employers.