Robert Rebitzer: How to overcome the disruptive forces that can impede high-value innovation
In the 1980s, two valuable innovations, laparoscopic gallbladder surgery and electronic health records (EHRs), came to market. The former became widely adopted in about three years. The latter took three decades and billions of dollars in federal subsidies. The reasons behind the differing uptakes of health innovation are among the topics in the book Why…
Why U.S. policy needs to focus on pruning the healthcare transaction thicket
Despite its huge disruptive impact, the Change Healthcare cyberattack seems to be fading from the headlines even as the after-effects of this disruption linger. What remains, however, is the unsettling awareness not only that the U.S. healthcare payment “system” is not secure, but also that the hospitals and physicians’ offices we all rely on when…
Andrew Donahue: An open letter to Congress on nonprofit hospital finances
There’s a lot of bad information out there on nonprofit hospital finances. Part of the problem is run-of-the-mill scapegoating — stakeholders with an agenda using our business complexity to muddy the water. Part of the problem is classic misuse of information — good people with good intentions making the wrong assumptions. And part of the…
BESLER provides thorough Transfer DRG revenue recovery services
Hospitals require clear and simple paths through the challenges posed by changing regulations so they can spend more time and dollars focusing on enhancing patient care.
News Briefs: Providers face trying times in the first month after the Change Healthcare cyberattack
Healthcare providers struggled financially and operationally in the first 30 days after a Feb. 21 cyberattack forced the shutdown of Change Healthcare’s claims submission and payment systems, among more than 100 other applications. As of the week of March 18, parent company UnitedHealth Group had restored Change Healthcare’s payment platform and was reporting progress in…
How to keep your balance sheet steady in tumultuous times
The balance sheet contributes significantly to cash flow at most not-for-profit (NFP) hospitals and health systems. Yet few organizations have developed a strategy that reflects the balance sheet’s contributions to financial sustainability. Throughout the operational and financial turmoil of the past few years, many health systems have relied on their balance sheet to compensate for…
How providers can optimize payer contract negotiations
Negotiating payer contracts can be both challenging and frustrating. Payers have significant leverage at the bargaining table, enhanced by payer consolidations and the emergence of dominant local, regional and national plans. But by adopting a transparent data-driven strategy in negotiations with a payer, a provider organization can create an opportunity for building a strong partnership…
Grace-Marie Turner: How to advocate for enlightened healthcare policy
Managing the finances of our nation’s hospitals and health systems is a task whose complexity is little understood by those outside the profession. Beyond being adept at managing complex healthcare financial matters, leaders also must focus intently on ensuring their organizations are delivering high-quality, cost-effective care. In addition to this knowledge and skill, finance leaders…
HFMA members step into new leadership roles in healthcare finance
Several HFMA members have kicked off 2024 by taking on new healthcare finance leadership roles. Here’s an overview of some of the hirings announced during the first quarter of the year. John Ceelen is the new CFO at Bellin and Gundersen The recently merged Bellin and Gundersen Health System in Green Bay, Wis., has tapped…
Joshua Corman unpacks the consequences of the Change Healthcare cyberattack on an HFMA podcast episode
The February cyberattack on Change Healthcare, a unit of UnitedHealth Group, continues to cause concern and frustration for providers.a The March 25 episode of HFMA’s “Voices in Healthcare Finance” podcast featured an interview about the long-term effects with Joshua Corman, founder of I Am the Cavalry, an organization focused on cybersecurity, and former chief strategist for…