Tipping point for US HSAs predicted, with pressure on pharmaceutical pricing

The year ahead will be a watershed for the health industries, according to advisory services group PricewaterhouseCoopers, as US health savings accounts reach a tipping point, states act where the federal government has not and pressure on pricing amid demand for transparency forces pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and health plans to rethink their strategies. These are among the top issues identified by PwC's Health Research Institute, which this month released its report, "The Top Seven Health Industry Trends of '07."

The report also includes the findings of a nationwide survey of 1,000 Americans about their perceptions of the US health care system. The survey identified significant differences between what the public and industry believe to be key issues, including:

- Nine out of 10 Americans (90%) believe that greed is a major reason that US health care costs are rising, a greater number than those citing drug prices, care for the uninsured, business inefficiencies or medical malpractice costs;