[tophcfa]

Bigger picture thought here. Forget about upcoding responsibilities, intent, blame, where did the $$ go, etc…. The bigger picture here is that before this event came to light, the Villages already arguably had both not enough and substandard health care relative to the size of the senior population. For an area dominated by a senior population, where availability of quality healthcare is extremely important, this could have serious consequences. Think about it, the largest health care provider serving the community is now operating out of bankruptcy, holding on by a thread using DIP financing to stay operational while a bankruptcy court decides its fate. Like everyone else, I’ve read the carefully crafted public statements coming from TVH and CenterWell (Humana) about how this is all going to turn out wonderful for TVH patients. Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to envision a scenario where reality and those statements intersect. Make no mistake, Humana is a publicly traded company taking a strategic risk in acquiring TVH with the intent of vertical integration. Their strategy is to be the dominant health care provider in the ever growing senior marketplace. On the positive side for Humana, vertical integration can provide them with cost savings and effeciencies, which would lead to higher profits. On the negative side for patients, vertical integration can crowd out competition, leaving Humana with a quasi monopoly. For the consumer, competition is a wonderful thing. Think about a scenario where Comcast was the only internet provider in your area, not ideal to say the least.

Bottom line, this introduces more risk to a marketplace that already is pushing the health care system to the brink. Add to that the fact that the place is growing at a breakneck pace with no end in sight. I think that’s the big picture people should be focusing on.