Anesthesia Practice Finances, 2030

The finances of an anesthesia practice are dictated primarily by the payment rates and policies of both government and private payors. In recent years, both government and private insurers have focused on reducing the costs of individual episodes of care as well as the rate of growth in overall health care spending. As a result, the past decade has undoubtedly seemed quite turbulent to many physicians, particularly in comparison to the relative stability of the health care payment system during the two decades prior. Despite a variety of approaches to managing these costs, the containment strategies to date have not been successful. New approaches designed to value health care differently are being implemented. Most of these changes are based primarily on quality and safety rather than cost alone. Many of the alternative payment models require providers and health systems to assume new financial risks. These approaches represent more sophisticated attempts...