y the time you read these words, the U.S. Supreme Court likely will have decided the challenge to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). As reported, most observers believe the court will either strike down part, or all of the law that’s touted as President Barack Obama’s signature achievement.
 
But regardless of what the court does, this situation seems likely to add uncertainty to the already muddled picture of how Americans pay healthcare providers for their services. The lack of certainty about funding—coupled with continuing cost increases—could make healthcare executives even more conscious of the ...