Timeline: Key healthcare deadlines for 2012 and beyond

While the ultimate fate of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act rests on the November election, healthcare leaders say efforts to prevent readmissions, foster communication and enhance preventative care will continue, regardless of the outcome.

And whether you're a winner or loser in healthcare reform, moving forward with implementing ACA provisions will involve some new rules and regulations.

Some take effect as early as next month, such as the hospital value-based purchasing (VBP) program in October to reward quality not quantity. Meanwhile, providers and insurers have more breathing room to comply with ICD-10 coding, thanks to a one-year reprieve from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

To see what regulations providers and payers can expect as health reform implementation kicks in, scroll through the timeline below...