2 new studies illustrate the burden of healthcare costs in the pandemic era
An annual report by CMS actuaries quantified the extent to which healthcare costs accelerated during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, while a separate survey looked at affordability.
Provider Relief Fund Phase 4 payments will be transmitted starting later this week, HHS announces
Provider Relief Fund Phase 4 payments will be made starting Dec. 16 to providers that applied and were deemed eligible.
Healthcare News of Note: A majority of physicians fear they missed signs of drug misuse during the pandemic and predict drug overdose deaths will rise, says a Quest Diagnostics report
Healthcare News of Note for healthcare finance professionals is a roundup of recent news articles: Physicians fear they missed signs of drug misuse during the pandemic, improved technology use is seen in patient engagement, and the majority of Medicaid health plans have a health equity plan.
The vaccine mandate for healthcare workers is back in place for half the country following an appeals court ruling
The question of whether healthcare employees can be covered by vaccine mandates likely will be decided by the Supreme Court.
A bill to mitigate scheduled Medicare payment cuts of $14 billion is ready to go in Congress
The House of Representatives is set to vote on a bill that would nullify a large share of 2022 Medicare payment cuts.
The COVID-19-induced surge in healthcare labor costs is testing hospitals and health systems
Struggles with the pandemic’s financial impact on the healthcare workforce leave few alternatives besides innovation, say industry experts and leaders on the front lines.
Healthcare News of Note: Youth mental health-related emergency department visits are on the rise as a result of the pandemic
Healthcare News of Note for healthcare finance professionals is a roundup of recent news articles: Mental health-related ED visits increase for children and teens, hospital volumes are nearly at 2019 levels, and TransUnion Healthcare sees a 55% increase in financial assistance requests in a 12-month period.
Court injunction stops federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers from being implemented as scheduled
A federal judge has halted implementation of a new rule that would require all on-site staff in hospitals and most other healthcare settings to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
10 states file lawsuit to halt CMS’s new rule requiring healthcare staff to be vaccinated
The suit says CMS didn’t have a good rationale for implementing the mandate and failed to follow required procedures for handing down such regulations.
News Briefs: Federal vaccination requirements finalized for hospitals and most other healthcare settings
If a hospital’s staff aren’t fully vaccinated by Jan. 4, the organization will be deemed noncompliant with Medicare and Medicaid regulations, according to a new federal rule.