This session will start with a brief overview of provider contracting challenges and opportunities, then discuss the many new developments on these topics. This includes: The implications of health reform (including enrollment and payment reform) on the provider community and therefore on insurer contracts with hospitals and physicians; new analytic techniques – how to move from historic unit cost based contracting to more sophisticated efficiency metrics; and responding to purchasers more interested in the strength of the provider contacts and requesting performance guarantees with actuarial implications.