Medicaid expansion doesn’t appear to bolster finances or operations at critical access hospitals, study finds
Changes in operating margin, staffing ratios and quality metrics didn’t hinge on whether a critical access hospital was in a state that had expanded Medicaid.
Court injunction stops federal COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers from being implemented as scheduled
A federal judge has halted implementation of a new rule that would require all on-site staff in hospitals and most other healthcare settings to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Provider Relief Fund updates: First reporting deadline is imminent, and new distributions have been sent to rural providers
Providers have until Nov. 30 to report on their use of distributions received from the Provider Relief Fund during the first several months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Healthcare provisions in massive legislation could improve care access but also reduce federal funding for some hospitals
In pending legislation, reductions to disproportionate share hospital payments would be used to subsidize commercial insurance for low-income residents of states that haven’t expanded Medicaid.
Healthcare News of Note: Medicare would save $8 billion a year if all hospitals achieved the outcomes of the most cost-efficient performers, says Lown Institute
Healthcare News of Note for healthcare finance professionals is a roundup of recent news articles: America’s most cost-effective hospitals are identified, employers have boosted telemedicine and mental health benefits during the pandemic, and risk-based Medicare Advantage models gain popularity with health systems.
CMS finalizes vaccination requirements for hospitals and most other healthcare settings
If hospital staff aren’t fully vaccinated by Jan. 4, their organization will be deemed noncompliant with Medicare and Medicaid regulations, according to a new rule handed down Thursday by CMS.
Healthcare News of Note: Patients in the U.S. shouldered more than $21B in cancer care costs in 2019
Healthcare News of Note for healthcare finance professionals is a roundup of recent news articles: U.S. patient cancer care costs totaled $21.09 billion in 2019, healthcare safety scores fell amid the pandemic, and states are leveraging MCO contracts to improve community SDOH.
The Provider Relief Fund distribution formula may have left some higher-need hospitals at a disadvantage, study finds
Critical access hospitals generally received lower allocations from a targeted distribution pool compared with hospitals that had a better asset mix.
Hospital groups express concern over earlier court ruling that could expand False Claims Act liability
The groups argue that allowing FCA claims to be brought for post-termination actions would defy congressional intent and leave hospitals subject to excessive financial liability.
After a long wait, HHS sends out details on the next Provider Relief Fund distributions
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced $25.5 billion in upcoming distributions from the Provider Relief Fund.