Strategies You Need to Know when Negotiating with Payers - Free Educational Webinar

THE WOODLANDS, Texas, Nov. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Every community-based oncology practice today faces the challenge of managing and negotiating contracts with insurance companies in an effort to align the reimbursement system to reward for the delivery of high-quality care in the community setting. The success of these negotiations can make a substantial difference in the financial health of a practice.

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Community oncologists, practice administrators and clinical staff interested in learning more about contracting strategies that will help community oncology practices navigate payer negotiations more effectively are invited to attend a free webinar at 1 p.m. EST (10 a.m. PST) on Thursday, November 10, 2011. To register, visit http://www.myoncologyservices.com/. Registration is free, but space is limited.

Elaine Estes, regional director of managed care for McKesson Specialty Health, will share lessons learned from direct negotiations with payers over hundreds of contracts in many practices and locations. During her presentation, Estes will address some of the most commonly overlooked contracting strategies that could help practices build stronger long-term payer-provider relationships and help protect practices' financial health.

The webinar will also address why it's important for practices to collaborate with payers to align reimbursement with quality and cost-effectiveness. McKesson Specialty Health recognizes that this is becoming increasingly important in today's ever-changing healthcare environment, and through its Innovative Practice Services(SM), provides practices with a unique, customizable business solution designed to help them work collaboratively with payers while better managing and predicting their own revenue.

Estes will draw from her many years of experience working with payers and negotiating contracts to dive deep into two specific topics: why and how to create win-win opportunities by building relationships with payers, and why it's important for practices to be well-versed in negotiating language that protects the practice. After the presentation, she will hold an open discussion to address questions.

Through the Oncology Practice Education Series, McKesson Specialty Health offers a series of complimentary webinars designed to provide community oncology practices with information and education to help successfully negotiate today's cancer care environment.

About McKesson Specialty Health

McKesson Specialty Health, a division of McKesson Corporation, empowers the community patient care delivery system to advance the science, technology and quality of care. Through innovative clinical, research, business and operational solutions, facilitated by integrated technology systems, we improve the financial health of our customers and help them provide quality care for patients. For more information, visit www.mckessonspecialtyhealth.com.

About McKesson

McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 15th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and information technology company dedicated to making the business of healthcare run better. We partner with payers, hospitals, physician offices, pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies and others across the spectrum of care to build healthier organizations that deliver better care to patients in every setting. McKesson helps its customers improve their financial, operational, and clinical performance with solutions that include pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management, healthcare information technology, and business and clinical services. For more information, visit www.mckesson.com.

SOURCE McKesson Specialty Health