FastFinance: Physician unionizing push; Trans services rules
Health systems face a growing physician unionization push this year, amid heightened overall strike activity. Also, this week’s Weird Number: 20. That’s the number of states that have enacted mandatory minimum income limits for free or discounted care. One More Thing: CMS has issued two rules that aim to bar “sex-rejecting procedures” on children, which…
Physicians increasingly targeted for unionization
The ongoing unionization push in healthcare increasingly is targeting physicians. A leading healthcare union for interns, residents and fellows increased its membership from 17,000 in 2021 to more than 40,000 in 2025, according to an annual union activity report from the American Society for Health Care Human Resources Administration (ASHHRA). And unions are gearing up…
Costs loom amid evolving trans care policies
Hospitals urged CMS to withdraw proposed rules aimed at barring “sex-rejecting procedures” on children, while others warned of costs. Several hospital groups raised objections to two proposed rules from CMS that would: A violation of the CoPs can result in monetary sanctions, exclusion from Medicare and Medicaid and, potentially, False Claims Act violations, noted a…
Q&A: Financial lessons from Northwell’s ACO
As the federal government gears up for another expansion of accountable care organizations (ACOs) and other types of value-based payment, one health system reflected on ways it improved its financial performance. Northwell Health has been part of the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) ACO for several years, treated nearly 90,000 attributed beneficiaries, earned shared savings…
Why rural hospital finances improved in 2025
Although rural hospitals remain in financially precarious positions, their overall finances improved in 2025. The reasons for this enhancement likely vary by market. The national median operating margin for rural hospitals has improved over the last three years: from -0.1% in 2023, to 1.0% in 2024 and 2.0% in 2025, according to the annual Chartis…
Big financial impacts from off-campus HOPD rule change
Many hospitals and health systems are facing costly work in preparation for 2028 documentation requirements to avoid off-campus HOPD revenue losses. And some could see a big financial hit, even if they successfully meet those requirements. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026, enacted Feb. 3, created new documentation requirements for off-campus hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs).…
Paying medical bills leads healthcare cost concerns
Among specific healthcare cost concerns, paying a medical bill leads all others, according to a new survey. Healthcare costs, in general, are a long-standing and rising concern of patients and the public but less is known about which costs worry them most. “We’ve asked about top issues in healthcare and this year seeing that cost…
Risk-pay diverges by payer
The share of payments that include downside risk increased in traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage (MA) but dipped in Medicaid and commercial insurance. Those findings were included in the annual tracking of payer risk that AHIP took over last year from the Health Care Payment Learning & Action Network (HCP-LAN), which had tracked it since…
Capital expenditures surge amid aging facilities
Several health systems and hospitals are boosting capital expenditures amid a long-term aging trend in the physical plant of those organizations. The average age of plant for not-for-profit hospitals and health systems reached 12.7 years in FY24, among organizations rated by Fitch Ratings. That was the oldest average in at least 13 years. The age…
FastFinance: M&A outlook; 2026 prep for cuts
HFMA’s FastFinance newsletter is now a podcast. Host Rich Daly discusses the most current and relevant healthcare news, delivered in an easily digestible format. Health systems are expected to ramp up their dealmaking activity next year but deep divides have emerged between for-profit and not-for-profit approaches. Also, this week’s Weird Number: $172 billion. That the…