Baker Tilly’s Insights on Driving Change in Healthcare: Trends Reshaping the Industry

Authored by Michael Patti, Darren Jones, Kevin Coonan, and Mark Ross

In 2024, the healthcare industry found itself navigating a pivotal year of transformation and resilience. Rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, a shifting regulatory environment, possible impacts from the presidential election, and the growing threat of cyberattacks underscore the urgency for strategic adaptability. At the same time, economic pressures and an unrelenting wave of mergers and acquisitions highlight the need for efficiency and innovation. As the industry faces these multifaceted challenges, it's the ability to adapt that will define its future.

Amid these changes, the industry faces sustained economic pressures, grappling with rising costs and complex regulations, making adaptability and strategic planning more essential than ever to continue to protect patients and operations.

The impact of the 2024 presidential election on healthcare

The 2024 presidential election has sparked significant speculation about the future of healthcare policy. Medicare Advantage could see major changes, including a potential shift to make it the default enrollment option, while Medicaid may face stricter eligibility requirements. Changes to the Affordable Care Act are expected to focus on subsidies and compliance adjustments rather than repeal.

Price transparency will remain a priority, with enforcement likely to intensify under the new administration. Providers should continue planning for regulations, such as minimum staffing requirements for nursing facilities, while the life sciences sector navigates uncertainties around the Inflation Reduction Act and CMS drug price negotiations. In this highly regulated and evolving landscape, organizations must stay agile and prepared for what’s ahead.

Cyberattacks: A persistent threat to healthcare

Cyberattacks remain a critical challenge for the healthcare industry, impacting providers, payers and life sciences organizations alike. High-profile breaches have highlighted the vulnerability of organizations of all sizes. As cyber threats become increasingly inevitable, having robust systems to identify, respond to and mitigate breaches is essential. Emphasizing the importance of vendor risk management and comprehensive business continuity planning is crucial to minimize disruptions like claims processing delays and cash flow issues.

From a payer perspective, managing vast amounts of sensitive data adds complexity, emphasizing the need for strong security measures and vendor oversight. In life sciences, the FDA’s recent guidance on cybersecurity for medical devices underscores the growing focus on integrating cybersecurity into quality management systems, particularly for data-driven MedTech innovations.

Across all sectors, the need for up-to-date HIPAA risk assessments and customized compliance plans is critical. Cybersecurity isn’t just about technology—it’s about proactive preparation and workforce training to safeguard patient data and ensure operational continuity in an increasingly targeted industry.

Merger and acquisition trends across healthcare sectors

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) remain a driving force in reshaping the healthcare industry. In provider systems, there’s a shift from larger entities acquiring smaller hospitals to large-scale system integrations, such as Kaiser’s Ryzen Health initiative. These mega-mergers aim to create geographically diverse systems, though they’re not a fit for every organization. Successful M&A depends heavily on effective integration, which often determines whether anticipated benefits are realized.

For payers, M&A is often driven by economies of scale and competitive leverage as provider systems grow larger. Vertical integration is also on the rise, with companies like UnitedHealth and Elevance acquiring home health and specialty services to streamline operations and align payer-provider dynamics.

In life sciences, smaller-scale acquisitions dominate, targeting niche areas like rare diseases and chronic conditions with genetic or cellular specificity. While blockbuster mergers have waned, the industry is sitting on significant cash reserves—over $230 billion for pharma and another $50-$60 billion for MedTech—poised to drive transformative deals in the future. This could significantly impact the market when deployed, signaling potential shifts in strategy as interest rate impacts subside.

AI in life sciences and healthcare

AI is no longer a buzzword but an active and growing presence in various sectors, particularly in life sciences. AI has had a significant impact on drug discovery, accelerating molecular modeling and identifying ideal drug candidates faster. In clinical development, AI enhances patient-reported outcomes (PROs) by enabling more honest and reliable data capture. As AI evolves, both payers and providers are working to incorporate it into processes like care management, reauthorizations and interactions with patients.

On the administrative side, AI is also reshaping healthcare, but its implementation requires careful planning. It is crucial to establish a governance framework to guide AI usage within organizations, along with a legal framework to navigate emerging regulations. While no comprehensive federal regulations exist yet, states are beginning to create their own, making it crucial to stay ahead of legal developments.

AI offers significant ROI when organizations focus on practical, relevant use cases and ensure the right frameworks are in place for governance and compliance.

Regulatory changes and cost pressures

Regulatory attention on AI is increasing, with states considering its role in managing pre-authorizations and denials. It’s important to monitor these developments closely.

Value-based care continues to grow, with more providers focusing on optimizing these arrangements. Price transparency regulations have been implemented, and the No Surprises Act has experienced some legal fluctuations, particularly concerning how patient portions are calculated.

Hospitals and health systems are facing ongoing margin challenges. Efforts are focused on increasing revenue and controlling costs. The continuing care retirement community (CCRC) sector has seen improvements, with a shift in outlook from negative to neutral for 2025, signaling a positive trend for healthcare providers.

In the life sciences field, the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) on drug pricing remains significant, and the potential for price controls in the U.S. continues to be a key concern.

How we can help

As we move forward into the year ahead, the healthcare industry's resilience is being tested by regulatory shifts, technological advancements, and persistent economic pressures. Yet, these challenges also present unprecedented opportunities for innovation and growth. By staying agile, prioritizing security and compliance, and embracing transformative strategies, healthcare organizations can not only navigate these changes but thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Baker Tilly is committed to helping healthcare leaders overcome obstacles and achieve their goals. The team of experienced professionals provide tailored solutions to help healthcare organizations bolster financial sustainability, support improved care outcomes, facilitate data flow and collaboration, strengthen cybersecurity measures, manage an evolving regulatory environment and seize opportunities for innovation and growth. Connect with a Baker Tilly specialist today to explore how we can help your healthcare organization succeed.