CMMI announces Direct Contracting participants but cancels second round of applications
The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation announced the 53 entities that have been accepted as participants in the new Global and Professional Direct Contracting model.
Healthcare News of Note: Federal bailout money helped some of the nation’s wealthier hospitals prosper despite COVID-19
Healthcare News of Note for healthcare finance professionals is a roundup of recent news articles, including wealthier hospitals prospering despite COVID-19, oncologists seeing more new advanced-stage cancer patients and the burden of prior authorizations during COVID.
Better integration with primary care can help address the ongoing mental health and addiction crisis, report finds
Enhanced network adequacy standards, value-based payment models and targeted investments in technology are vital to improving behavioral healthcare in a way that will meet escalating needs.
HHS should ensure 340B hospitals remain eligible despite changes in payer mix, AHA says
Hospitals participating in the 340B Drug Pricing Program could lose access due to payer mix changes stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic unless HHS issues a waiver.
News briefs: The new COVID-19 relief legislation could result in a big Medicare payment cut
The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, which was signed into law March 11, could lead to a significant reduction in Medicare revenues if Congress does not act.
Health system leaders state their case for prolonging the moratorium on the Medicare payment sequester
Hospitals and health systems urgently need Congress to extend the freeze on the 2% Medicare payment sequester, industry leaders said.
Site-neutral payments could reduce healthcare spending by at least $350 billion over 10 years, report finds
If site-neutral payments were implemented throughout healthcare, the reduction in expenditures could total as much as $672 billion over a decade, according to a new report.
What healthcare stakeholders should know about the new COVID-19 relief legislation
New COVID-19 relief legislation includes funding for rural hospitals, provisions to increase the affordability of health insurance and more items of note for healthcare providers.
Providers that administer the COVID-19 vaccine are getting a payment bump from CMS
Providers will receive an increase in the Medicare payment rate for administering the COVID-19 vaccine starting March 15, CMS announced.
For rural hospitals, affiliations with large health systems can be a mixed bag
Significant declines in inpatient admissions among rural hospitals that eventually close may be a consequence of affiliations with health systems.