The Impact of the 2010 Elections on Health Care Reform

With the 2010 elections over and a new Republican majority ascendant in the House, health reform is again thrust center stage, and certain scenarios regarding the new congressional makeup could have a material impact on the timing and nature of the implementation of the recently passed health reform legislation and its related efforts.

As former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary and a current strategic advisor on health issues to both the private and public sector, Governor Mike Leavitt is uniquely qualified to identify and analyze provisions within the new health reform law that are subject to potential disruption.  In this dynamic and illuminating presentation, Governor Leavitt examines and interprets six substantive areas of health reform that could be significantly affected by the mid-term election results including: individual mandates, 
employer penalties, premium subsidies, Medicaid expansion, medical loss ratio, and Medicare funding cuts.

Within each area, Governor Leavitt offers penetrating insight and perspective on the likelihood of change, the type of disruption – stall, modify or repeal – and its ultimate impact on organizations, individuals and the nation as a whole.

Navigating Uncertainty in Healthcare

Health reform legislation has been signed into law but a new uncertainty awaits those operating healthcare businesses. Hundreds of new regulations are being written, different parts of the reform are being challenged in court, the public sentiment runs deep against provisions of reform.  Control of Congress is divided, 35 states have new governors, deficit pressures loom. . . what will happen now?

Mike Leavitt, a three term governor and former United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, not only has a unique perspective, but audiences routinely comment on his masterful ability to communicate in an understandable and entertaining way.

Those who operate hospitals, clinics, pharmaceuticals, medical devices or services companies will find his views on new provider networks, accountable care organizations and the impact of insurance exchanges as having particular impact on their thinking.

Using stories, metaphors and examples, Leavitt personalizes significant shifts in the health marketplace and provides participants with a list of strategic questions they should be asking themselves.  Audiences leave with a new sense of optimism and insight to help them navigate the uncertainty ahead.

A Primer on Insurance Exchanges

Health reform legislation enables the creation of health insurance exchanges in each state.  These exchanges, in combination with other legislative provisions radically change the U.S. health insurance marketplace.  What does this mean for insurance companies, health care providers, employers, consumers?

Mike Leavitt is arguably the most knowledgeable person in America on the impact of this dramatic change.  As a three term Governor of Utah and former United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, he currently advises states, insurers and health systems on the creation and operation of insurance exchanges.  Prior to his service in government, he built what is now the nation’s second largest privately held insurance brokerage.

Using stories, metaphors and real examples, Leavitt provides participants with an understanding and entertaining look into the future of this new part of the American health system.  His experience as Governor is used to discuss the likely dynamics of the debate in each state as they make important decisions about their exchanges.  He discusses the future of insurance intermediaries like brokers and the impact on employers and human resource departments. Leavitt is futuristic in his view, seeing exchanges as a place where not only insurance products will be offered but hospitals will offer access to their networks.

Participants are encouraged to fight being paralyzed by indecision.  Leavitt’s audiences leave with a much clearer view of the road ahead and list of strategic decisions their business must make.

Value Nets: The New Frontier in Leadership

Mike Leavitt, a three term Governor of Utah, who has held two positions in Presidential Cabinets describes a fundamental change occurring in the way civilizations are organizing. The requirement of relentless improvement to keep pace in a global market has caused societies to begin forming networks.  This is not a new management fad, but rather a Darwinian survival instinct.  Networks, whether in a microbial world of viruses (natural), the digital world of computers (electronic), or the family (human), are more flexible, faster and more adaptable than centralized or isolated competitors.

Some networks combine people, machines and electronics to reach the highest possible level of functioning.  Such networks are harder to build and sustain than others but they are worth the effort.  The tricky elements in these networks are people. Managing the human emotions and sociology of diverse individuals requires a proven process—a process this speech describes.

High producing networks require collaboration.  However, if the stakes are high, the partners are diverse and success requires a network among unnatural collaborators, a highly sophisticated approach is required.  Leavitt uses research done over many years on how to build and join high performance collaborative enterprises he calls a Value Net.

Successful Value Nets require the presence of 8 elements. Leavitt’s speech revolves around these elements, describing what they are and how the audience can use them. He examines supply chains in manufacturing, marketing alliances among airlines, bundled pricing networks among healthcare providers, creditors forming networks to protect their investments, businesses struggling to form enterprise solutions across departments, government agencies collaboratively solving problems with other agencies, environmental clean ups among adversaries, standards created by competitors to achieve a better outcome for all, and treaties among competing nations.  All of these and many more will illustrate the power of Value Nets.

Governor Leavitt offers listeners the view that economic leadership is shifting among nations, industries and businesses. Organizations of all sizes, not-for-profits, governmental groups and others, are scrambling to build new business models to survive. Collaborative network building is a key and this speech shows participants where to begin. 

Step-by-Step: Protecting the U.S. Food Supply Throughout the Provider Chain

Governor Leavitt provides audiences a holistic approach to addressing modern day food safety and food defense challenges. Regardless of where organizations operate in the food supply chain, they are vulnerable to factors that are difficult to, and often beyond, control. Recent outbreaks and recalls have illustrated the fragility and vulnerability of brands and even entire businesses. Governor Leavitt urges organizations to recognize that as times have changed, so must the food and related industries if they are to stay ahead and alive. Governor Leavitt effectively addresses food safety and food defense problems wherever they may exist in the supply process.

Import Safety: The Most Urgent Threat You Don’t Know About

The United States has one of the safest food supplies and among the highest standards of consumer protection in the world. However, the rapid growth in the volume of exports, as well as the number of importers and exporting countries, present challenges that require urgent attention.

Americans want to enjoy fresh produce year-round, wear low-cost clothing, drive foreign-made cars, use electronic products designed and built off our shores, purchase affordable furniture and otherwise participate in the bounties of a global economy. This is the value of global trade. The challenges we face are the result of a global market beginning to mature.

Just as the volume of trade has changed, so must the strategies to regulate safety. Simply scaling up our current inspection strategy will not work. We need to develop new tools and strategies equal to the new challenges we face.

With an in-depth knowledge of international and domestic regulatory processes and first-hand experience in dealing with unsafe imported goods, Governor Leavitt provides audiences strategic counsel regarding the complexities and on-going changes related to imported foods and medical products, including pending legislation, product tracking and regulatory expertise.

Global Health and Diplomacy

The language of health is heard by the heart. The richest and poorest of us are bound together by the uncertainty of our mortality, the health conditions of those we love and, in some cases, the desperation of our pain. Said another way, global health is the common thread that binds all of humanity together. If we succeed in global health, we increase our chances of succeeding globally.

In geopolitics, there is a constant struggle to win the hearts of the people. In that battle, actions speak louder than words. On the Richter scale of deeds, health makes the needle within a person’s heart move more than anything else. We must invest in and succeed in global health diplomacy as a means to improve international relations and conditions in the world.

America needs to embrace health diplomacy and craft a unified policy around this important issue.  In this enlightening presentation, Governor Leavitt helps audiences understand how global cooperation and collaboration around the issue of health can lead to improved economic, security and overall diplomatic relations.