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.
Cost Reduction Program Summary Report
HFMA, with sponsorship from Strata Decision Technology, surveyed 185 healthcare finance, accounting and revenue cycle executives to understand cost reduction programs and how effective they are. The survey indicates that while 89% of healthcare organization have some type of cost reduction program in place, only 6% say their program is extremely effective. Survey respondents select…
Healthcare News of Note: Americans have less confidence in the nation’s healthcare system
Healthcare News of Note for healthcare finance professionals is a roundup of recent news articles: Confidence in the U.S. healthcare system dips again, the median proposed health insurance premium increase for 2023 is about 10%, and improved oral care in hospitals can prevent pneumonia.
As revenue cycle challenges accumulate, a new survey suggests hospitals are taking a closer look at automation
For hospitals and health systems, survey results show that the ongoing labor crunch in revenue cycle operations has provided an impetus to expand process automation.
Healthcare News of Note: Amazon to acquire One Medical for about $3.9B
Healthcare News of Note for healthcare finance professionals is a roundup of recent news articles: Amazon is set to buy One Medical, the pandemic has caused a resurgence of antimicrobial-resistant infections, and major depression goes undiagnosed more often in Black and Hispanic communities.
Leveraging APPs is key to improving a health system’s provider enterprise
Although physicians have historically constituted the vast majority of a health system’s providers, advanced practice providers (APPs) are growing in number and importance throughout healthcare, to the point that what traditionally has been referred to as a health system's physician enterprise is now more aptly called its provider enterprise.
New rule sets forth proposed Medicare payment policies for rural emergency hospitals
For hospitals that choose to begin operating under the new rural emergency hospital designation in 2023, Medicare will pay for any service that would be covered as a hospital outpatient department service.
Wes Wheeler of UPS Healthcare talks about the future of cold chain supply chain
The number of pharmaceuticals derived from organic material (i.e., human, animal and plant cells) and requiring special handling, are increasing. On a recent episode of HFMA’s “Voices in Healthcare Finance” podcast, Wes Wheeler, president of UPS Healthcare, discussed how the industry should adapt to the need for an improved cold chain.
Even as costs surge, Medicare physician payments are scheduled to decrease in 2023
Medicare physician payments would decrease by more than 4% in 2023, according to a proposed rule.
CMS looks to tweak Medicare conditions of participation for critical access hospitals
A recently issued proposed rule includes a few new conditions of participation for critical access hospitals.