October 2018
The 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA) set in motion a number of cost reduction initiatives, including the consolidation of hospitals and other health care providers, and changes in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements. The ACA significantly increased incentives to move patient care from an inpatient to an outpatient setting, which has motivated hospital systems to acquire physician practices to capitalize on increased outpatient revenues and secure referrals for hospital-based services.
