Drug Prices an Increasing Challenge for Hospitals: Survey
Jan. 15—Most hospitals have had to juggle their budgets in recent years to accommodate increasingly expensive drugs, according to a new survey.
CJR Program Achieves Savings over 2 Years
Jan. 14—Medicare’s first mandatory bundled payment program succeeded in obtaining some savings in its first two years, according to new research.
Hospital M&A Deals Slow in 2018
Jan. 11—Hospital transactions declined in 2018, amid a shift in the most active types of organizations.
Jan. 14-18: Focus Falls on Medicare Finances
Jan. 10—As Congress’s primary Medicare advisory panel meets next week to recommend 2020 payment rates, new research has identified a leading cost challenge in the program.
Readmissions Penalty Program May Be Having Little Effect
Jan. 9—Medicare’s $500 million readmissions penalty program may have cut readmissions by only half as much as the half-million that previously was estimated—or not cut them at all, according to new research.
Medical Bundles Get Another Look
Jan. 8—Despite concerns that savings and quality improvements are elusive in bundled payment episodes for chronic medical conditions, one of the largest health systems aims to expand its use of such payment models.
Q&A: ACO Executive Expects Impacts from New Rules
Jan. 7—HFMA recently talked with the leader of one of the largest accountable care organizations (ACOs) in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) about impacts she and other ACO leaders expect from the recently issued 2019 final rules for the program. Early industry reaction to the changes was mixed.
Jan. 7-11: Providers Mull ACO Regulatory Changes Ahead of Deadlines
Jan. 3—An overhaul of Medicare’s main accountable care organization (ACO) program was finalized in mid-December, and many providers looking to join or continue participating will be required to begin the process this month.
Judge Rejects 2018 Cut to Medicare 340B Payments
Jan. 2—A federal judge recently ruled against a year-old 30 percent cut to Medicare payments for 340B drugs. But the ruling’s implementation—including the effect on 2019 payment—remains to be decided.
ACO Overhaul Issued Amid Looming Regulations
Dec. 21—An overhaul of Medicare’s accountable care organization (ACO) program, issued today, is among several far-reaching federal regulations that hospital leaders and advocates have been anxiously awaiting, all of which could be released within the next week.