Hospitals warrant an extra boost in their Medicare payment rate next year, MedPAC says
Hospitals will get a more favorable Medicare payment increase in FY25 if Congress follows the recommendations of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC). In its semiannual report to Congress, MedPAC recommended a 1.5% bump on top of what otherwise would be provided according to statute. That would mean an estimated increase of about 4.5% for…
The federal policy response to the Change Healthcare cyberattack
Note: This information is excerpted from HFMA’s running coverage of the cyberattack that disabled operations at Change Healthcare. On March 10, HHS and the Department of Labor sent a letter encouraging commercial payers to do their part to help financially strained providers nearly three weeks after the cyberattack on Change Healthcare. “Larger payers in particular…
Compassionate crusade: The role of healthcare in addressing homelessness
Homelessness poses a daunting national challenge. And the challenge worsened as a result of the pandemic, rising from roughly 582,000 people in 2022 to more than 653,000 people in 2023.a Clearly, keeping homeless people out of the ED is a pivotal goal in the battle against homelessness. But it is one that health systems cannot…
While increasing revenue is a top goal for 2024, improving the patient experience is a close second — specially for large health systems: HFMA poll
In a recently conducted survey, 70% of 92 respondents said increasing revenue is a top priority in 2024 followed by improving the patient experience (60%) and reducing costs (55%). Review other key findings in this research report.
Ken Perez: Assessing the U.S. response to the healthcare needs of migrants and asylum seekers
Immigration, for decades one of the most politically charged issues in the United States, is emerging as a top issue during this election year. A poll of 1,074 U.S. adults conducted Nov. 30-Dec. 4, 2023, found that immigration ranked as the fourth-highest priority for 2024, with 35% of those surveyed indicating that they want the…
New rule on Medicaid DSH payments will impose stricter limits on many hospitals
Numerous hospitals that receive Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments face a tighter cap on their payment amounts after the Feb. 23 publication of a CMS final rule. The regulations were spawned by 2020 year-end legislation that made changes to the DSH hospital-specific limit (HSL), including with respect to how third-party payments factor into the…
Site-neutral payment has backing in healthcare policy circles, but its efficacy as a cost restraint is unclear
The concept of site-neutral payment continues to receive support from members of Congress and healthcare policy analysts, as demonstrated during a recent hearing. The Jan. 31 hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee was intended, in part, to promote pending legislation that would strengthen price transparency and implement other policies designed to…
Hospitals reached steadier ground financially as they moved into 2024
Hospitals came into 2024 with some financial momentum, even as expenses continued to rise and pivotal decisions loomed. The year-to-date median hospital operating margin reached 2.3% in December, the high mark for 2023 and the 10th consecutive month in which margins were positive, according to monthly data from Syntellis Performance Solutions, part of Strata Decision…
Cost Effectiveness of Health Report, January 2024
This issue of HFMA’s Cost Effectiveness of Health Report, sponsored by Kaufman, Hall & Associates, LLC, offers perspectives on developments in personalized medicine for patients and insights into how healthcare providers can help to maintain Medicaid coverage in their communities. Healthcare 2030 Let’s get personal: Tailoring care to the patient’s needs presents an opportunity for…
Asking the right questions to help patients age in place
Dan Weinrieb of Jukebox Health discusses why providers should be paying attention to fall risk in patients' homes.