Financial Leadership

The federal policy response to the Change Healthcare cyberattack

Note: This information is excerpted from HFMA’s running coverage of the cyberattack that disabled operations at Change Healthcare. On March 10, HHS and the Department of Labor sent a letter encouraging commercial payers to do their part to help financially strained providers nearly three weeks after the cyberattack on Change Healthcare. “Larger payers in particular…

Nick Hut March 14, 2024

Remembering HFMA trailblazer Ronald Kovener  

HFMA joins friends and family in remembering Ronald Kovener who died at the age of 92 on July 26, 2023, in Indianapolis. An accountant, he had been a member of HFMA since 1961 and served as National President from 1972 to 1973.   Kovener reminisced about his HFMA experience in 2021 when the Association celebrated its…

Crystal Milazzo February 29, 2024

Dennis Dahlen: It’s time to deepen trust in the patient financial experience 

“Healthcare is a journey. It’s not a single episode of care. Especially in cardiology, where the relationships we develop with patients are lifelong, we want to make sure they trust not just their doctor, but the entire organization.”  So believes one of the standout speakers from HFMA’s 2024 Revenue Cycle Conference in San Diego: Larami…

Dennis E. Dahlen, FHFMA, MBA, CPA February 29, 2024

Healthcare Finance Trends for 2024

Download this eBook to see details of the 10 financial trends that will shape 2024 for hospitals and health systems across the country.

HFMA February 28, 2024

Hospitals reached steadier ground financially as they moved into 2024

Hospitals came into 2024 with some financial momentum, even as expenses continued to rise and pivotal decisions loomed. The year-to-date median hospital operating margin reached 2.3% in December, the high mark for 2023 and the 10th consecutive month in which margins were positive, according to monthly data from Syntellis Performance Solutions, part of Strata Decision…

Nick Hut February 12, 2024

Dennis Dahlen: New year, not-so-new struggles call for revamped approach

In January, 8,000 investors, innovators and market participants gathered in San Francisco for the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference. This gathering has become a required event for healthcare leaders to take stock of the industry. You could feel the pulse of the conference accelerate during key moments, like when comments from an FDA regulator led to…

Dennis E. Dahlen, FHFMA, MBA, CPA January 26, 2024

Downgrades topple upgrades: 5 key takeaways from rating activity in 2023

As expected, 2023 saw a material increase in downgrades over 2022 while the number of upgrades declined from the prior year. Volume showed favorable growth for many hospitals during 2023, although some indicators remained below prepandemic levels. Other hospitals reported a payer mix shift toward more Medicare as the U.S. population continued to age and…

Lisa Goldstein January 25, 2024

2024 outlook: Hospitals can expect a steadier year financially, but key questions loom

Although the past year brought more stability for the not-for-profit hospital sector, analysts foresee 2024 as a pivotal period in determining the viability of individual organizations. Fitch Ratings continues to describe the sector’s outlook as “Deteriorating.” In a year-end report, the credit-rating agency said downgrades of hospitals and health systems in 2023 had outpaced upgrades…

Nick Hut December 22, 2023

HFMA strategy session highlights challenges and opportunities for healthcare finance leaders: payer relations, supply costs, AI and more

The legacy healthcare provider’s position in the industry could grow tenuous if leaders don’t respond boldly and strategically to ongoing trends, according to insights recently presented to HFMA leaders. “We’re at a crossroads right now,” Ashraf Shehata, principal and U.S. national sector leader for healthcare and life sciences with KPMG, said in November during a…

Nick Hut December 19, 2023

Healthcare Blame Game: Why CFOs should build media relationships

In a recent episode of HFMA’s “Healthcare Blame Game” podcast, Jim Heffernan, a retired CFO and current CFO emeritus of Massachusetts General Physicians Organization, shared four key pieces of advice for CFOs.

Brad Dennison December 13, 2023
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