The state of U.S. primary care: How new ways of thinking can spur meaningful improvement
As healthcare stakeholders consider ways to fortify the nation’s primary care system, industry leaders recommend emphasizing several strategies and components — and not waiting to act. “We’re close to midnight in many respects in thinking about how to urgently preserve and expand primary care in America,” Susan Dentzer, president and CEO of America’s Physician Groups…
The big picture for healthcare in 2024, with Andrew Donahue
HFMA Policy Director Andrew Donahue discusses what trends and policy decisions will affect the healthcare industry in this election year.
Healthcare News of Note: CDC urges healthcare providers to boost flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccinations, and some hospitals require masking as respiratory illnesses spread
Over the past few weeks, I have found these recent industry news stories that should be of interest to healthcare finance professionals. 1. CDC urges providers to boost flu, COVID-19 and RSV immunizations; mask mandates return for some healthcare facilities “As the new year takes off, CDC continues to track the rise of JN.1…
Recent updates and emerging best practices for ACOs in the Medicare Shared Savings Program
Going into the 12th year since it brought accountable care into the healthcare lexicon, the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) continues to evolve, with CMS making changes and participants fine-tuning best practices. Starting with 220 accountable care organizations (ACOs) in 2012-13, the MSSP grew to 561 in 2018. However, the number has been below 500…
Experts forecast a busy year for healthcare M&A even with changes to regulatory oversight
A more exacting system for regulatory reviews is a factor in the short-term outlook for healthcare mergers and acquisitions. New M&A guidelines from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) add a wrinkle to the process of consummating deals, especially in the short term as the parties adjust to the…
2024 outlook: Hospitals can expect a steadier year financially, but key questions loom
Although the past year brought more stability for the not-for-profit hospital sector, analysts foresee 2024 as a pivotal period in determining the viability of individual organizations. Fitch Ratings continues to describe the sector’s outlook as “Deteriorating.” In a year-end report, the credit-rating agency said downgrades of hospitals and health systems in 2023 had outpaced upgrades…
HFMA strategy session highlights challenges and opportunities for healthcare finance leaders: payer relations, supply costs, AI and more
The legacy healthcare provider’s position in the industry could grow tenuous if leaders don’t respond boldly and strategically to ongoing trends, according to insights recently presented to HFMA leaders. “We’re at a crossroads right now,” Ashraf Shehata, principal and U.S. national sector leader for healthcare and life sciences with KPMG, said in November during a…
Measuring what matters to patients is key to hospital ROI
Despite the need to factor consumer behavior into health system business models, hospitals’ current operating model remains provider-centric, with performance metrics focused on transactions rather than the strength and durability of consumer relationships. At the same time, many organizations are hesitant to make investments in consumer-focused solutions for which the ROI is unclear. Through original…
An extended year-end policy update with Nick Hut and Shawn Stack
HFMA Senior Editor Nick Hut and HFMA Policy Director Shawn Stack discuss the most pressing end-of-year issues for 2023.
New data on national healthcare spending highlights the constraints facing hospitals
Recently published 2022 data indicates relatively restrained national healthcare spending as the COVID-19 pandemic faded, especially in the hospital sector. The increase in spending on hospital services slowed from 4.5% in 2021 to 2.2% in 2022, CMS actuaries reported Dec. 13 in Health Affairs. The increase was significantly less than in 2020 (6.2%) and the…