Healthcare News of Note: Even many people with ‘good’ health insurance incur medical debt
Healthcare News of Note for healthcare finance professionals is a roundup of recent news articles: 20% of U.S. households have medical debt, regulatory issues are delaying completion of a proposed not-for-profit health system mega-merger, and racial and ethnic disparities are seen in drug overdose deaths.
Healthcare News of Note: Healthcare workers are more emotionally exhausted as pandemic continues
Healthcare News of Note for healthcare finance professionals is a roundup of recent news articles: Most healthcare workers report higher levels of emotional exhaustion since 2019, new-patient wait times for certain specialties average 26 days, and large health disparities are seen among those with employer-sponsored healthcare coverage.
Hospitals issue plea for healthcare policymakers to do more to buttress the industry
The American Hospital Association and hospital leaders say recent financial trends are unsustainable for many organizations.
Healthcare News of Note: Telehealth aids outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries with opioid-use disorder
Healthcare News of Note for healthcare finance professionals is a roundup of recent news articles: Medicare beneficiaries initiating new episodes of OUD-related care get benefits from telehealth use, changes to inventory management strategies are coming for many sectors, and HAIs hit community hospitals hardest during the pandemic.
Providing healthcare organizations with the right data to understand cost and margins
To address the healthcare industry’s challenges in waste, cost of care and inefficient data usage, one company discusses its support system to assist in decision support and for understanding cost and margins.
Health Services Financing helps providers offer all patients a touchless financing program
One company uses its patient financing program to address patient access to care and the rising cost of healthcare, two of healthcare’s biggest challenges.
The shift toward integrated pharmacy services: driving long-term success
One driving factor for health systems and hospitals shift to in-house integration pharmacy services is average turnaround time. For an outsourced specialty pharmacy, turnaround is 10 to 14 days, whereas an in-house specialty pharmacy can reduce that time to just 2.1 days.
Hospital financial metrics took another downturn in July, new report finds
The negative financial performance in July offset moderate gains during the previous few months, according to Kaufman Hall’s monthly report.
Healthcare News of Note: Cancer is now the top driver of large employers’ healthcare costs
Healthcare News of Note for healthcare finance professionals is a roundup of recent news articles: The No. 1 driver of healthcare costs for large employers is cancer, the gender pay gap for physicians has gotten larger, and NRC Health names the top facilities for consumer loyalty and patient experience.
Final rule for Medicare inpatient payments brings a big rate increase but falls short of what hospitals sought
The final rule for Medicare inpatient payments to acute care hospitals calls for a 4.3% increase, up by more than a percentage point from the proposed rule.