Healthcare Business News

CMS Provides ICD-10-PCS Code Set Updates

May 20—The 2014 ICD-10-PCS (procedure) files—which contain information on the new procedure coding system that will replace ICD-9-CM, Volume 3—are now available and posted on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) website.
HFMA Comments on Medicare Part B Inpatient Hospital Billing, RAC Program

May 20—HFMA strongly supports efforts by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to identify improper payments within CMS-administered programs, but believes the recovery audit contractor (RAC) program “is counterproductive to the principles of a reformed payment system,” according to a comment letter HFMA sent to CMS administrator Marilyn Tavenner on Friday.
Oregon Releases First Report on State Healthcare Transformation Plan

May 20—The Oregon Health Authority has issued its first quarterly report that sets benchmarks for key health and financial metrics for the Oregon Health Plan. Data in the report will allow Oregon to examine progress toward reducing the trend of state Medicaid spending by 2 percent by the end of 2014.
CMS Opens Bundled Payment Model to More Hospitals

May 17—Additional hospitals can apply to participate in Model 1 of the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement initiative, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today in the Federal Register.
Tavenner Confirmed to Lead CMS

May 16—The U.S. Senate voted 91-7 Wednesday to confirm Marilyn Tavenner as administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). She is the first CMS administrator the Senate has confirmed in seven years.
Interdisciplinary Alliance Targets Malnutrition in Hospitals

May 15—Five healthcare organizations have formed an interdisciplinary partnership, the Alliance to Advance Patient Nutrition, to improve patient outcomes through early nutrition screening, assessment, and intervention in hospitals.
Recent Publicity Over Hospital Prices Could Fuel Calls for Regulation

May 15—Recent publication of a database of hospital prices by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will have minimal impact on the credit quality of hospitals and health systems for the time being, according to Moody’s Investors Service—but the wide range of pricing for similar services, noted by CMS, is likely to strengthen the hand of those calling for greater regulation of hospital pricing and billing practices, which could be a credit negative for the industry.
CMS Proposes Methodology for Reducing DSH Allotments in FY14, FY15

May 14—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that outlines the methodology for cutting state Medicaid disproportionate share hospitals (DSH) allotments by $500 million in FY14 and $600 million in FY15, as required under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Hospital Safety Scores Reveal Slow Improvements

May 14—U.S. hospitals have made only incremental progress in addressing errors, accidents, injuries, and hospital-acquired infections, according to not-for-profit Leapfrog Group’s Spring 2013 update to its Hospital Safety Score.
Prescription Medication Spending Decreases

May 13—Total spending on U.S. medicines fell 3.5 percent on a real per capita basis in 2012, with one underlying driver being patent expirations and patients’ resulting switch to generic versions, according to a study by the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics.
Primary Care Physicians Create More Revenue for Hospitals than Specialists

May 13—For the first time, primary care physicians, on average, generated annual net revenue for their affiliated hospitals that exceeded that of specialty physicians, according to a study from a physician recruitment firm.
Health Centers Gain Funds to Assist Uninsured with ACA Enrollment Options

May 10—The Health Resources and Services Administration will issue approximately $150 million to help community health centers provide in-person enrollment assistance to uninsured individuals nationwide, U.S. Department of Health and Humans Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced in a release.
Report Examines Drivers of Recent Slowdown in Health Spending Growth

May 10—The slowdown in health spending growth over the last decade was likely driven by changes in response to declines in real incomes and the shifting distribution of health insurance coverage, according to an Urban Institute report.
Georgia Adopts Shield Law for Physicians Engaged in Quality Initiatives

May 9—Georgia lawmakers have enacted a first-of-its-kind State Physician Shield Act, which provides legal protections for physicians engaged in quality and delivery improvement initiatives included in the federal healthcare reform law.
HFMA Announces 2013 MAP Award Winners

May 9—HFMA has announced the 2013 winners of the MAP Award for High Performance in Revenue Cycle.
Rating Agency to Consider Not-for-Profits’ Ability to Demonstrate Value

May 9—The ability to deliver quality care at an affordable cost is becoming increasingly important to the financial strength and credit quality of not-for-profit hospitals, Moody’s Investors Service says in a new report—so much so that the rating agency soon will focus on not-for-profits’ ability to measure and demonstrate value as determinant of credit worthiness.
Harkin Withdraws Hold on Tavenner Nomination to Head CMS

May 8—Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) on Tuesday lifted the hold he placed on the nomination of acting Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) Administrator Marilyn Tavenner, removing a roadblock to her Senate confirmation as head of CMS.
HHS Posts Data on Hospital Prices for Common Inpatient Services

May 8—Data released today on CMS.gov show significant variation across the country and within communities in how hospitals price services that may be provided during the 100 most common Medicare inpatient stays.
Studies: Structural Changes Account for Part of Healthcare Spending Slowdown

May 8—Structural changes in the industry are one reason why U.S. healthcare spending growth slowed by more than $500 billion between 2003 and 2012, according to two studies in Health Affairs.
Not-For-Profit Children’s Hospitals’ Median Ratios Still Strong Despite Some Weakening

May 7—U.S. not-for-profit children’s hospitals’ median ratios are still strong, but have lost their wide margin of financial strength compared with all rated acute care stand-alone hospitals, according to a Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services report.
Slow Growth in Medicare Inpatient Payment Rates Leads to Lower Private Rates: Study

May 7—Lower Medicare payment rates lead to lower private rates for inpatient care, according to a study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC), published in the May issue of Health Affairs.
BLS: Hospital Jobs Increase by 2,700 in April

May 6—U.S. hospitals added 2,700 jobs in April, a 0.06 percent increase from the previous month, according to monthly employment rate data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The increase follows a 0.16 percent change from February to March.
CMS to Remove Data Related to 8 HACs from Hospital Compare

May 6—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plans to remove data regarding eight hospital-acquired conditions (HACs), including infections and mismatched blood transfusions, from the Hospital Compare website when the site is updated in July, according to a recent news report.
Oregon Experiment Studies Effects of Medicaid on Clinical Outcomes

May 3—A study of data from Oregon’s expansion of Medicaid coverage through a lottery in 2008 shows that the state’s expanded Medicaid coverage generated no significant improvements in measured physical health outcomes in the first two years, but increased the use of healthcare services and almost eliminated out-of-pocket catastrophic medical expenditures.
Report: Rising Severity of Illness Among Medicare Patients Treated in EDs

May 3—Sicker, more complex Medicare patients are driving up the intensity of emergency department (ED) care, according to an American Hospital Association report.

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Healthcare Business News

CMS Provides ICD-10-PCS Code Set Updates

HFMA Comments on Medicare Part B Inpatient Hospital Billing, RAC Program

Oregon Releases First Report on State Healthcare Transformation Plan

CMS Opens Bundled Payment Model to More Hospitals

Tavenner Confirmed to Lead CMS

Interdisciplinary Alliance Targets Malnutrition in Hospitals

Recent Publicity Over Hospital Prices Could Fuel Calls for Regulation

CMS Proposes Methodology for Reducing DSH Allotments in FY14, FY15

Hospital Safety Scores Reveal Slow Improvements

Prescription Medication Spending Decreases

Primary Care Physicians Create More Revenue for Hospitals than Specialists

Health Centers Gain Funds to Assist Uninsured with ACA Enrollment Options

Report Examines Drivers of Recent Slowdown in Health Spending Growth

Georgia Adopts Shield Law for Physicians Engaged in Quality Initiatives

HFMA Announces 2013 MAP Award Winners

Rating Agency to Consider Not-for-Profits’ Ability to Demonstrate Value

Harkin Withdraws Hold on Tavenner Nomination to Head CMS

HHS Posts Data on Hospital Prices for Common Inpatient Services

Studies: Structural Changes Account for Part of Healthcare Spending Slowdown

Not-For-Profit Children’s Hospitals’ Median Ratios Still Strong Despite Some Weakening

Slow Growth in Medicare Inpatient Payment Rates Leads to Lower Private Rates: Study

BLS: Hospital Jobs Increase by 2,700 in April

CMS to Remove Data Related to 8 HACs from Hospital Compare

Oregon Experiment Studies Effects of Medicaid on Clinical Outcomes

Report: Rising Severity of Illness Among Medicare Patients Treated in EDs

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