The hidden risks of weight loss drugs
GLP-1 agonists, medications originally formulated to treat diabetes, have gained traction as prescription drugs for weight loss. On this episode, medical researcher and patient advocate Ragen Chastain discusses what healthcare providers should be sharing with their patients about the risks and efficacy of Wegovy and Zepbound.
News Briefs: A new fee is set for using the No Surprises Act arbitration portal
Bringing out-of-network payment disputes to arbitration under the No Surprises Act in 2024 will be less expensive than previously proposed. In a final rule, the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury established the administrative fee for using the independent dispute resolution (IDR) portal at $115 per case, effective Jan. 22. That’s…
The big picture for healthcare in 2024, with Andrew Donahue
HFMA Policy Director Andrew Donahue discusses what trends and policy decisions will affect the healthcare industry in this election year.
Recent updates and emerging best practices for ACOs in the Medicare Shared Savings Program
Going into the 12th year since it brought accountable care into the healthcare lexicon, the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) continues to evolve, with CMS making changes and participants fine-tuning best practices. Starting with 220 accountable care organizations (ACOs) in 2012-13, the MSSP grew to 561 in 2018. However, the number has been below 500…
10 Keys to Restoring Trust in Healthcare
The issue of restoring consumer trust in the U.S. healthcare system encompasses a wide range of concerns. Factors in the perceived loss of trust include anxiety and confusion over costs, entrenched inequity, a glut of misinformation about vaccines and other treatments, and data and privacy breaches. To examine the problem and explore solutions, HFMA’s 16th…
Healthcare News of Note: 45% of consumers have at least 1 health-related social need
Over the past few weeks, I have found these recent industry news stories that should be of interest to healthcare finance professionals. 1. 45% of consumers surveyed have at least 1 health-related social need, says McKinsey & Company Forty-five percent of consumers report experiencing at least one health-related social need (HRSN), such as food insecurity,…
Congress doesn’t seem to be mulling a fix for the 2024 Medicare physician payment cut
Congress has mitigated a scheduled Medicare payment cut for physicians going into each of the last three years, but relief does not appear to be on the way for a fourth year running. Medicare’s 2024 final rule for physician payments includes a $1.15 decrease to the conversion factor, amounting to a reduction of more than…
Improving health outcomes while combating homelessness
Beth Sandor of Community Solutions discusses a pilot program in which health systems partnered with organizations in their communities fighting homelessness.
Using data analytics to address SDoH and contain costs
Finding a way to meaningfully address the adverse impacts of social determinants of health (SDoH) has long been a significant challenge for the nation’s hospitals and health systems. Now, leading healthcare organizations are finding new approaches to solving this problem through the innovative use of data and analytics, both internally and in collaboration with other…
Insights on population health management challenges through the eyes of C-suite leaders
Population health management is at a crossroads, and one key to ensuring its viability is to bolster stakeholder trust in the potential of value-based payment (VBP) models. That was a key takeaway from healthcare executives who took part in a September panel discussion at the 23rd annual Population Health Colloquium, hosted by the Jefferson College…