Unpaid medical bills rise as patients pay less out-of-pocket
Out-of-pocket payments by commercially insured patients have decreased in recent years, with the mean repayment rate decreasing from 54% in pre-pandemic years to 46% by 2023, according to a study in JAMA Health Forum.
FastFinance: Hospitals’ rising expense risk
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. Hospitals’ financial performance continues to improve this year, but expense trends are worrying, according to an industry tracker. Learn what spending is driving expenses. Also, this week’s Weird Number: One million…
Hospital revenue surges, but rising expenses raise concerns
Hospitals' financial performance has improved this year, with revenue increasing and operating margins reaching a high point, but expense trends are worrying due to increases in non-labor costs, bad debt, and charity care.
Medicaid cuts prompt health systems to boost financial performance
Health systems are expected to aggressively pursue cost reductions and revenue improvements in anticipation of impending Medicaid cuts from the OBBBA in 2027, which could lead to increased bad debt, charity care, and M&A activity.
Rising physician departures from Medicare fuel access issues
The rate of physician departures from Medicare has increased since the pandemic, with primary care physicians exiting at a higher rate of 4.4% in 2023, due to increased demands, decreased payments, and new communication methods, leading to access issues for patients.
Hospital advocates urge CMS to hold off on new price transparency requirements
Hospital advocates have urged CMS to hold off on further price transparency requirements and enforcement, while suggesting alternative approaches such as focusing on ensuring accurate pre-service estimates and streamlining policies to reduce confusion and administrative burden.
Medicaid cuts may strip 12% of 340B hospitals of eligibility, analysis finds
Up to 12% of 340B hospitals could lose eligibility for the program due to Medicaid spending cuts in the recently enacted budget reconciliation law, according to a projection by Dan Snow of Turquoise Health.
Hospital advocates optimistic Congress will extend ACA subsidies
Hospital advocates remain optimistic that Congress will extend extra individual marketplace subsidies, despite Republican opposition, as they recognize the potential political exposure of allowing them to expire before the 2026 mid-term elections.
Hospitals seek to mitigate $1.1 trillion in federal healthcare spending cuts
Hospitals and health systems face large federal funding cuts from the recently enacted reconciliation law, but advocates and observers believe there are opportunities to mitigate them through legislative efforts, state initiatives, and potential rollbacks.
Healthcare costs for businesses to rise 8.5% in 2026, PwC survey reveals
Healthcare costs for businesses are expected to increase by 8.5% in 2026, as employers shift more costs to workers, according to a PwC survey, while hospital finances remain strained due to inflation and rising wages.