David Johnson: Site-neutral payment and the battle for healthcare’s soul
In a remarkable and surprising show of bipartisanship, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act on Dec. 11, 2023, by an overwhelming 320-71 vote. Avoiding hyperbole, the act lives up to its name. It seeks to equalize Medicare payment for the same drugs administered in the same way, whether in…
Demonstrating revenue cycle excellence just got easier with the newest HFMA certification
The Executive of Healthcare Revenue Cycle (EHRC) certification, HFMA’s newest member recognition, has been quite popular with members since it was announced in mid-February. As of March 31, 22 HFMA members had applied for the EHRC certification and 18 members earned it, demonstrating excellence in revenue cycle, said Shirley Heavlin, certification operations manager for HFMA.…
News Briefs: Hospital advocates bemoan the small Medicare payment increase proposed for FY25
The payment update described in Medicare’s FY25 proposed rule for inpatient hospital care and long-term care hospitals falls well short of what hospitals need to keep up with costs, advocates say. The inpatient payment rate would rise by 2.6% for hospitals that fulfill quality-reporting requirements and meet the criteria to be designated as meaningful users…
Navigating toward successful contract negotiations with health plans
A group of healthcare leaders discuss various tactics they are using to negotiate better rates with payers and ensure payers’ commitment to accurate, timely payment.
People: Atlantic General and BSMH announce CFO transitions
Atlantic General Hospital and Health System in Berlin, Md., has hired James Kanuch, CHFP, MBA, as vice president of finance and CFO. Kanuch, a member of HFMA’s Maryland Chapter, brings 30 years of financial and operational experience to the new role. Most recently, he served as senior vice president of finance at Allegheny Health Network…
Jill Geisler: Being positive and solving problems are not mutually exclusive
We want our leaders to be positive forces for good. But what happens when they prefer to deal with only the positive aspects of the job and avoid the negative? An hfm reader recently suggested this scenario might be worth exploring in a column. Indeed, it is. The reader described working with two nonprofit leaders…
FTC challenge adds to the strain on the hospital-based anesthesiology workforce
A Federal Trade Commission (FTC) challenge to the purchase of a major anesthesia provider, after a rocky couple of years for anesthesia providers, has created an even murkier outlook for hospital-based anesthesia services. The FTC’s suit, filed in September against U.S. Anesthesia Partners, Inc. (USAP) and the private equity firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe,…
Geeta Nayyar: Healthcare industry needs to take charge in refuting misinformation
In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Geeta Nayyar, MD, MBA, found herself captivated by the misinformation — and disinformation — spewed across social media. People were falling prey to lies, conspiracy theories and snake-oil hucksters, and in some cases, the bad advice killed them. The environment reminded her of another deadly misinformation crisis…
Not-for-profit health systems need a new enterprise strategy
Based on findings of recent original research, the current financial performance of not-for-profit (NFP) health systems raises concerns over their long-term financial viability. The research findings underscore the need for NFP health system leaders to reconceptualize their organization as comprising six strategic business units (SBUs) and then manage each in terms of competitiveness. Research findings…
Shawn Stack: The value of revisiting policies and processes for financial assistance
The charity care processes adopted by healthcare providers have attracted criticism in media stories focusing on the high cost of care. On a recent episode of HFMA’s “Voices in Healthcare Finance” podcast, HFMA Policy Director Shawn Stack discussed the value of revisiting financial assistance policies and processes. Below is an excerpt from the interview. Erika…