Annual Conference: Joe Fifer says goodbye
In the 11 years that Joseph J. Fifer led HFMA, he successfully guided the Association through some difficult events. The COVID-19 pandemic, the social unrest related to racial issues and enduring political divisiveness were among the challenges experienced by HFMA under his watch. But Fifer never gave up on promoting the benefits of personal connections…
Annual Conference: Body-language expert Scott Rouse explains how to read others and make a good impression
People who know how to read body language can gain a significant advantage in their interpersonal relations, an expert said during Monday’s keynote session at HFMA’s Annual Conference. Scott Rouse, a behavior analyst and body-language expert who works with law-enforcement agencies and major corporations, said awareness of body language is key to quickly establishing connections…
Annual Conference: Health system CFO panel reflects on the importance of embracing change
The healthcare industry is enduring tough times, but finance leaders are equipped to guide their organizations through choppy waters, CFOs said Sunday as part of a panel discussion. Speaking onstage during the opening session of HFMA’s Annual Conference in Nashville, five health system CFOs described how they’ve responded during a tumultuous period that began more…
Annual Conference: New HFMA CEO Ann Jordan describes her vision for the Association
Speaking Sunday at Annual Conference, Ann Jordan articulated her vision for how HFMA can support members and positively affect the healthcare industry. Jordan, who succeeded Joe Fifer as president and CEO on June 6, described growing up on a farm in Iowa (“my first career endeavor at the age of 9 was field labor”), then…
Annual Conference: HFMA MAP Award winners for High Performance in Revenue Cycle unveiled
At a time when healthcare executives must balance intensely competing priorities, 15 healthcare organizations have shown they can address revenue and patient engagement challenges successfully and, as a result, have earned a 2023 HFMA MAP Award for High Performance in Revenue Cycle. This year’s group of winners, announced June 25 in Nashville at the HFMA…
MedPAC takes aim at the Medicare wage index and reiterates support for site-neutral payment
In its semiannual report to Congress, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) recommends significant changes to two key aspects of Medicare policy: the wage index and site-neutral payment. 1. A revamp of the wage index The wage index consistently generates concern among healthcare stakeholders, including in Medicare’s FY24 proposed rule for hospital inpatient payments. According…
As anticipated, the start of the Medicaid unwinding process has taken a toll on coverage
Fears among healthcare policymakers that the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency would sow chaos in Medicaid have been realized, leading the Biden administration to intensify its mitigation efforts. The end of Medicaid continuous-enrollment provisions is affecting the program in many states. In 21 states that had begun the “unwinding” process since April 1,…
Medicare coverage and coding updates: New Alzheimer’s drugs to be covered, but not universally
Note: This article was updated July 6. For drugs manufactured to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, Medicare will offer coverage with certain qualifications, according to a recent CMS announcement. The new policy especially is relevant because the FDA’s first full approval of an Alzheimer’s disease drug may be only a month or so away.…
Report quantifies the financial impact of certain health plan business practices on providers
As hospitals seek to regain their financial footing coming out of the pandemic, they may find themselves stymied by commercial payer policies, according to a new report. “It’s true that commercial payers might generate more net revenue than public payers on a per-case basis,” Crowe states in a report it recently published. “But at what…
The state of Medicare Advantage: As the program grows, healthcare stakeholders express concerns
As seen during a recent virtual conference, the accelerating expansion of Medicare Advantage (MA) has been accompanied by tension over growing pains such as regulatory issues. “I think MA was set up really well, but like anything else there’s sort of a moment where you have to look at the program and say: How do…