Healthcare Financial News

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the launch of an initiative to increase the use of energy-efficient technologies in U.S. hospitals. The DOE notes these facilities are among the nation’s most energy-intensive commercial buildings, with energy costs mounting to more than $5 billion in the past year, and with energy intensity and carbon dioxide emissions 2.5 times those of commercial office buildings.

The EnergySmart Hospitals initiative, which is part of the DOE’s Building Technologies Program, has the goals of improving efficiency by 20 percent in existing facilities and by 30 percent over current standards in new construction, and to not only save millions in energy costs, but also reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Among the tools and resources that the initiative will provide are advanced energy design guides for small and large hospitals, technology assessments, and an interactive web site.

The decline in state finances over the past year has been worse than expected, according to a new report released July 23.

The National Conference of State Legislatures' State Budget Update: June 2008 is based on information collected from legislative fiscal directors in June and early July, and covers the revenue and expenditure situation for all 50 states and Puerto Rico. More states reported gaps for FY09 than for FY08, with the cumulative total more than tripling from about $13 billion to more than $40 billion. Also, states have taken the lead in healthcare reform, with many expanding eligibility for the State Children's Health Insurance Program, and are finding that health care is costing considerably more than they expected.

Fiscal deterioration is not across the board, however; states that have significant portions of their tax bases tied to natural resources seem to have escaped major budget problems, and several of these states report tax collections are much higher than expected. Also, the leisure and hospitality sector is robust in 11 states. Read the press release.