Annual Conference: For hospitals, effective chargemaster management can bolster revenue capture
Amid the changes and challenges buffeting the hospital and health system sector, chargemaster management remains a key step in protecting revenue, according to a presentation this week at HFMA’s Annual Conference. At University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH), a recent chargemaster initiative began with a thorough review, said Holly Cruz, senior financial analyst with University…
Annual Conference: Health system CFO panel reflects on the importance of embracing change
The healthcare industry is enduring tough times, but finance leaders are equipped to guide their organizations through choppy waters, CFOs said Sunday as part of a panel discussion. Speaking onstage during the opening session of HFMA’s Annual Conference in Nashville, five health system CFOs described how they’ve responded during a tumultuous period that began more…
Denials Management Research Report
HFMA, with sponsorship from Waystar, surveyed 415 healthcare finance and revenue cycle executives to understand how denials are affecting their revenue cycle operations.
Survey reveals 5 opportunities to tackle denial prevention and management
In this survey, responses found when organizations devote greater resources to denial management than to denial prevention, their rate of first-pass denials is higher: 13.6% versus 10.9%.
MedPAC takes aim at the Medicare wage index and reiterates support for site-neutral payment
In its semiannual report to Congress, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) recommends significant changes to two key aspects of Medicare policy: the wage index and site-neutral payment. 1. A revamp of the wage index The wage index consistently generates concern among healthcare stakeholders, including in Medicare’s FY24 proposed rule for hospital inpatient payments. According…
HFMA Annual Conference preview: How Vanderbilt University Medical Center built a successful bundled payment program
Dr. Brittany Cunningham from Vanderbilt University Medical Center discusses her upcoming presentation at HFMA's Annual Conference in Nashville. Also in this episode, strategies for cash flow discrepancies with sponsor organization Inovalon.
Medicaid Drug Misclassification Proposed Rule Summary
The rule proposes to implement policies in the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program (MDRP) related to legislative requirements addressing drug misclassification, as well as drug pricing and product data misreporting by manufacturers.
As anticipated, the start of the Medicaid unwinding process has taken a toll on coverage
Fears among healthcare policymakers that the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency would sow chaos in Medicaid have been realized, leading the Biden administration to intensify its mitigation efforts. The end of Medicaid continuous-enrollment provisions is affecting the program in many states. In 21 states that had begun the “unwinding” process since April 1,…
Medicare coverage and coding updates: New Alzheimer’s drugs to be covered, but not universally
Note: This article was updated July 6. For drugs manufactured to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, Medicare will offer coverage with certain qualifications, according to a recent CMS announcement. The new policy especially is relevant because the FDA’s first full approval of an Alzheimer’s disease drug may be only a month or so away.…
Why it’s so essential for hospitals to embrace a value-based payment strategy
dealing with myriad severe short-term operating strains, such as workforce shortages, to existential threats to their long-term future, including being cast as the enemy in the fight against rising healthcare costs, hospital leaders are struggling to maintain their organizations’ financial sustainability.