Site-of-care payment issues get highlighted by UnitedHealthcare and MedPAC
A new report issued by a leading health plan is the latest sign that hospitals and health systems can expect payers to ramp up implementation of site-neutral payments.
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.
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.
The hospital industry is projected to finish 2021 with a $54 billion loss, report finds
The financial turmoil that has affected hospitals and health systems throughout the COVID-19 pandemic won’t be alleviated during the remainder of this year, according to projections.
Study finds little correlation between market concentration and high healthcare prices
The findings have implications as policymakers consider ways to curb healthcare prices.
News
Stay up-to-date with HFMA's regularly published news that covers regulatory and legislative changes and healthcare finance trends.
Report by Medicare trustees describes a daunting payment picture for healthcare providers
The Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund is on course to run out of money by 2026, and that assessment wasn’t the only concerning part for hospitals in a new government report.
HHS can continue using Worksheet S-10 to calculate uncompensated care payments after federal court ruling
A federal district court dealt hospitals a defeat in a case about uncompensated care payments, issuing a summary judgment in favor of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Healthcare News of Note: Providers should continue forward movement on improving digital patient access, survey suggests
Healthcare News of Note for healthcare finance professionals is a roundup of recent news articles: Expectations for convenient access to care in the pandemic era, a look at ICU bed use across the U.S., and the cost of hospitalizations among unvaccinated adults.
Cost reporting in the time of COVID-19 could have an impact on hospital payment
The changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic that hospitals must report in their annual cost reports will be pervasive throughout the reported data. Given that CMS and some state agencies use cost reports i9nformation to establish future rates, it is critical that hospitals exercise heightened due diligence in preparing their cost reports throughout the public health emergency.