New rule sets forth proposed Medicare payment policies for rural emergency hospitals
For hospitals that choose to begin operating under the new rural emergency hospital designation in 2023, Medicare will pay for any service that would be covered as a hospital outpatient department service.
Healthcare News of Note: Community health workers can influence better use of healthcare providers among certain populations
Healthcare News of Note for healthcare finance professionals is a roundup of recent news articles: Community health workers promote better use of healthcare providers, $195 billion in medical debt is owed by U.S. residents, and Generation Z is less likely to seek treatment for mental health issues.
Steve LeFar talks about the implications of care deferrals due to COVID-19
The economic and social impacts from deferred healthcare due to COVID-19 were already a major concern in the pandemic’s first year, portending severe declines in health status for Americans who stopped seeking care for fear of exposure to the coronavirus. In this Q&A, Strata Decision Technology’s Steve Lefar shares insights based on extensive data that tell the story of deferred care across the nation, and the likelihood that providers will see a rising tide of severely ill patients.
Healthcare News of Note: 53% of U.S. adults say they prefer in-person healthcare to telehealth visits moving forward, survey says
Healthcare News of Note for healthcare finance professionals is a roundup of recent news articles: A majority of people prefer in-person healthcare to telehealth visits, patients have trouble grasping information during doctor visits, and Walmart taps an Ochsner exec to lead its healthcare expansion.
CMS finalizes changes to the price transparency penalty, inpatient-only list and more for 2022
Medicare policies affecting price transparency, the inpatient-only list and more will take effect Jan. 1 after CMS published its 2022 final rule for hospital outpatient departments and ambulatory surgical centers.
Site-of-care payment issues get highlighted by UnitedHealthcare and MedPAC
A new report issued by a leading health plan is the latest sign that hospitals and health systems can expect payers to ramp up implementation of site-neutral payments.
The hospital industry is projected to finish 2021 with a $54 billion loss, report finds
The financial turmoil that has affected hospitals and health systems throughout the COVID-19 pandemic won’t be alleviated during the remainder of this year, according to projections.
Provider conduct could have a big impact on the future of telehealth, experts say
Widespread certification for telehealth could encourage policymakers to retain the waivers that have promoted expanded virtual access, industry experts say.
Hospital-at-home programs are gaining traction and have well-documented benefits, experts say
A Medicare waiver issued in late 2020 has spurred more health systems to implement home-care programs for acute conditions.
Medicare should update its policies for separately payable drugs in the Outpatient Prospective Payment System, MedPAC says
Worthwhile changes include requiring drugs to be proven clinically superior before granting them pass-through payment status, according to a new report.