Price transparency update: 6-figure fines have been handed down for hospital noncompliance
The federal price transparency requirements for hospitals entered a new phase this month, with CMS not only issuing the first fines for noncompliance but also publicizing those penalties.
Proposed nursing home regulations send an important message to all providers
A statement issued by the Biden administration on Feb. 28 proposed major reforms for the nation’s nursing homes but also has important implications for healthcare organizations of all types.
No Surprises Act
As a result of the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act, several No Surprise Billing Act regulations will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2022 for providers, facilities and air ambulance services. These requirements include prohibitions on balance billing for certain items and services, consumer notification and consent requirements for insured patients, cost sharing rules and disclosures, and uninsured/self-pay good faith estimate requirements for scheduled or shoppable items and services.
Some Medicare payments to hospitals for bariatric surgery may be inappropriate, OIG finds
Medicare could have saved nearly $48 million in bariatric surgery payments to hospitals during an 18-month period if coverage rules and guidance were better implemented at the contractor level, according to the HHS Office of Inspector General.
Why ensuring the appropriate assignment of observation status patients is so important
Managing observation status requires a focused and consistent effort. Inappropriate assignment of observation status is expensive for patients and hospitals alike and can impede the goal of providing patients with the right care at the right time in the right setting.
HHS policy update: Recent developments include an extension of the public health emergency and notable progress in reducing the Medicare appeals backlog
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra signed a 90-day extension of the COVID-19 public health emergency, ensuring the PHE will last until at least mid-July.
News Briefs: Report finds unwillingness to get the COVID-19 vaccine drove healthcare job cuts in January
A roundup of top news for healthcare finance professionals.
Medicaid eligibility: Strategies to provide care access and maximize reimbursement
Is your hospital or healthcare system constantly seeking ways to help patients access care through Medicaid while maximizing their own reimbursement? Look no more as this sponsored survey unveils effective solutions for these challenges.
Paul Keckley: The healthcare regulatory climate for 2022 — What to expect
Hospitals, physicians and long-term care and ancillary service providers can anticipate significant changes in the regulatory climate in 2022. Although such changes are predictable, context is key: Regulatory policymaking in healthcare in the current environment is limited by disfunctional gridlock in Congress, the fact that 2022 is a mid-term election year and a high level of public anxiety about the economy and healthcare.
News Briefs: Supreme Court ruling allows the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers to proceed
A roundup of top news stories for healthcare finance professionals.