Medtronic CEO Omar Ishrak believes that increasing collaboration and integration will occur in the U.S. healthcare system, irrespective of how the Supreme Court rules in June.
The U.S. Supreme Court is weighing several issues tied to President Barack Obama’s healthcare reform law, including whether the individual mandate requiring all Americans to buy insurance is constitutional and whether the Affordable Care Act can stand without the individual mandate.
Earlier this week, CNBC anchor Maria Bartiromo asked what Ishrak thought will happen in June when the Supreme Court is widely expected to make the critical decision regarding the future of the nation’s healthcare system. Ishrak initially punted on the issue and said that Medtronic operates in global markets within differing healthcare environments and is focused on strategies to improve the standard of care, lower costs and improve access. But, having said that, Ishrak shifted gears.
“What is happening in the United States is that there is greater integration between providers and payers, and that is going to happen irrespective of the Supreme Court ruling and whatever else happens to the specifics of healthcare reform.”
Bartiromo wasn’t satisfied with the punt on the prediction.
“I understand, but do you think they are going to rule it down or not?” she pressed. “What’s your gut?”
Ishrak didn’t bite.
“I really don’t have an opinion on that,” he deadpanned. “We are focused on our own strategies and that’s what’s important to us.”
See the full video here.
By Arundhati Parmar
Arundhati Parmar is the Medical Devices Reporter at MedCity News. She has covered medical technology since 2008 and specialized in business journalism since 2001. Parmar has three degrees from three continents - a Bachelor of Arts in English from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India; a Masters in English Literature from the University of Sydney, Australia and a Masters in Journalism from Northwestern University in Chicago. She has sworn never to enter a classroom again.More posts by Author
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