Through a Glass Darkly: The Budget Process

You’ve no doubt heard the curse “May you live in interesting times.� Whoever invoked the curse on healthcare reimbursement did a whale of a job. Changes to government reimbursement, managed care firms ratcheting down fee schedules, or the advent of high-deductible health plans has heightened the risk to practices. While the wave of changes will not stop, we have a tool—the budget—to help us anticipate the changes and ameliorate their impact.