Looking back at 2007
Over the course of 2007, I have been pleased to deliver you the industry news that matters to your business. Part I of this AHIP Solutions SmartBrief special year-end report rounds up the most important trends, stories and events of the past year. Part II, which will hit your inbox on Thursday, will provide a glimpse into what's in store for 2008.

The year began with the continued expansion of retail health clinics while more companies began to implement wellness and prevention programs built on incentives for workers to adopt healthy lifestyles. CMS ruled that it will no longer cover preventable errors in hospitals, a move that will surely trigger a flood of reforms. In Washington, legislators reauthorized and expanded the Prescription Drug User Fee Act, which increased authority over drug safety issues; lawmakers negotiated SCHIP reauthorization; and presidential candidates renewed proposals for health coverage for all Americans.

This year's conferences took AHIP members to the Executive Leadership Summit in Palm Springs, Calif.; the AHIP/OPM Conference in Arlington, Va.; the National Policy Forum in Washington, D.C.; the AHIP/AHLA Law Conference in Hollywood, Fla.; Institute 2007-AHIP's Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nev.; Medicare and Medicaid Conferences in Washington, D.C.; State Issues Conference in Chicago; and the Business Forum 2007 in Chicago. It was an exciting year, indeed.

And now, here's what was most important to YOU in 2007.

Best of 2007

• Health care's top 100 for 2007 (8/27)

• Report ranks states on health, puts Vermont at top (11/5)

• USA TODAY names top 25 medical events (7/16)

• Pitney Bowes makes headway in health care (2/1)

• Study: Weight gain becoming more socially acceptable in U.S. (8/7)

• Employers try to make wellness programs welcoming (7/22)

• Big employers enter health care debate as costs rise (4/6)

• Happy workers lead to healthy profits, consultant says (7/10)

• Companies offer health coaching, prevention programs (7/24)

• Commentary: Single-payer system would only shift health costs (3/22)

Your Favorite SmartQuotes

Here are the quotes you shared with colleagues most often during 2007:

The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."

--Winston Churchill,
British prime minister

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worthwhile."

--Herm Albright,
writer

When you step into a turnaround situation, you can safely assume four things: morale is low, fear is high, the good people are halfway out the door, and the slackers are hiding."

--Nina Disesa,
as chairwoman of McCann-Erickson Worldwide

If toast always lands butter-side down, and cats always land on their feet, what happens if you strap toast on the back of a cat and drop it?"

--Steven Wright,
comedian, actor

The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense."

--Thomas Edison,
inventor and businessman

One of the hardest tasks of leadership is understanding that you are not what you are, but what you're perceived to be by others."

--Edward L. Flom,
CEO of Florida Steel

Do what you feel in your heart to be right -- for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't."

--Eleanor Roosevelt,
former first lady and American political leader

The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four Americans is suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're OK, then it's you."

--Rita Mae Brown,
writer and activist

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone."

--Audrey Hepburn,
Academy Award-winning actress, humanitarian

Rule No. 1: Use your own good judgment in all situations. There will be no additional rules."

--Bruce, Jim and John Nordstrom,
co-presidents of Nordstrom department store, in the employee handbook

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