Studies find glaring issues with federal price transparency requirements
The first year of federal price transparency regulations for hospitals hasn’t had high rates of compliance, nor has it consistently led to actionable information for consumers, according to two new studies.
New surprise billing regulations: How providers should be preparing to fulfill the pending requirement about good-faith estimates
Providers have had a mere three months to implement the processes needed to comply with a new requirement to provide uninsured patients with good-faith estimates in advance of services.
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.
CMS makes templates available to help with aspects of the new surprise billing regulations
CMS has published templates and resources that can guide healthcare providers in implementing some of the surprise-billing requirements that take effect in January.
Exploring opportunities to improve provider-payer data exchange
Revenue cycle leaders share strategies and the benefits for effective data exchange between providers and payers, as well as the challenges in this executive roundtable.
Providers must furnish ‘good-faith’ price estimates to self-pay patients starting next year
A newly issued federal rule on surprise billing includes regulations designed to improve price transparency for self-pay patients.
Focus on thought leadership and better practices: A testament to HFMA’s vision and purpose
From its very inception, HFMA has embraced the idea of thought leadership and professional practice. Major milestones have included the Principles and Practices Board, The Patient Friendly Billing Project, The Value Project and the recent focus on consumerism.
Cost Effectiveness of Health Report, September 2021
HFMA’s Cost Effectiveness of Health Report, sponsored by Kaufman Hall, is a monthly e-newsletter that will explore ways to ensure healthcare delivery in the United States is not only financially sustainable but also cost effective for all of its stakeholders — including health systems, physicians, health plans and patients. In this inaugural issue of the report, healthcare futurist Jeff Goldsmith shares his perspectives on the need for a focus on improving cost effectiveness of health as a societal imperative.
Recipients of COVID-19 vaccine boosters won’t have to pay anything out of pocket, CMS confirms
Medicare beneficiaries will owe nothing out of pocket for receiving an authorized booster dose, and the same applies to almost all Medicaid beneficiaries and most commercial health plan members.
Healthcare price transparency initiatives may fall flat due to systemic factors, expert says
Niall Brennan, a leading expert on healthcare cost drivers, is among the skeptics who doubt the ongoing price transparency push can result in a more efficient system.