Healthcare News of Note: Americans living in rural areas face an increased risk of death, in part due to issues with healthcare access, says a new infographic
Healthcare News of Note for healthcare finance professionals is a roundup of recent news articles: Issues with healthcare access contribute to an increased risk of death for rural residents, many workers struggle to pay for healthcare deductibles, and hospital and physician office markups on certain drugs escalate consumer costs.
CMS’s overhaul of the Direct Contracting program draws praise from supporters of value-based payment
Value-based payment advocates see reason for optimism in CMS’s recent decision on the future of its Direct Contracting model.
David Johnson: Cracks in the foundation, Part 2: Overcoming healthcare’s artificial economics
In normal markets, demand for services at given prices drives supply. Healthcare reverses the equation so demand for services is driven by the supply of healthcare facilities and practitioners, says hfm columnist David Johnson. In this second column in his series examining structural defects of the U.S. healthcare system, Johnson challenges these “artificial economics” and describes how cutting-edge health systems will apply new, more customer-focused economics to become the future market leaders.
Simplifying the revenue cycle while building resilience
“Several senior financial leaders discuss their organizations’ revenue cycle management (RCM) optimization initiatives, focusing on a variety of strategies, including eligibility checks, denials prevention programs and automation.”
News Briefs: Report finds unwillingness to get the COVID-19 vaccine drove healthcare job cuts in January
A roundup of top news for healthcare finance professionals.
Medicaid eligibility: Strategies to provide care access and maximize reimbursement
Is your hospital or healthcare system constantly seeking ways to help patients access care through Medicaid while maximizing their own reimbursement? Look no more as this sponsored survey unveils effective solutions for these challenges.
Thought Leadership Retreat summary reports
Read reports from HFMA's Annual Thought Leadership Retreat.
8 ways healthcare providers can smooth the DRG audit process
A health system’s financial sustainability depends on its being paid appropriately for the services it delivers. Yet routine payer audits can all too often result in downgrades of a health system’s billed diagnosis-related groups (DRGs), resulting in lower payment. It therefore behooves health systems to be well prepared for such audits and thoroughly understand why payers’ are most inclined to take such action.
Federal judge rules for providers in a case about a key component of the new surprise billing regulations
A federal judge found in favor of the Texas Medical Association in a case about the arbitration process that is being implemented as part of the No Surprises Act.
For some 340B hospitals, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought an unanticipated and unwelcome loss of eligibility
Bringing longer stays and higher rates of deferred care, the COVID-19 pandemic is adversely affecting 340B eligibility for some hospitals.