Frank Irving

Two giants in the medical products business have agreed to consolidate services that bring supplies to physician offices.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services late last week released the 2015 Physician Fee Schedule final rule, and it brings a number of changes that doctors and practice managers need to understand about chronic care management, the Medicare conversion factor and other key reimbursement issues.

It's never been more difficult for healthcare providers to collect payment for services provided. These recommendations will help you get the most from your efforts and avoid costly mistakes.

Characterizing patients as non-compliant has long been an excuse for physicians not fully engaging people, but that needs to change. Patient engagement activities are increasingly important, as practices get more involved in value-based care models such as accountable care organizations.

Following an "industrial model of care," New York's Westmed Medical Group analyzes data from more than 2,200 processes and procedures to drive accountability and results. This has led to 15-fold growth and $285 million in annual revenue.

Commercial insurers inaccurately process about 20 percent of claims filed by medical practices. It's an industry standard that has weathered the test of time -- though not in a good way.

By releasing to the public a data set revealing what Medicare pays individual doctors, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says the transparency will help weed out fraud and prevent billing abuse, but physicians are crying foul.

A House vote today may have derailed physicians' chances of finally getting Medicare's formula for paying doctors repealed.

Hospital Marina Salud de Denia, described as a model for what the hospital of the future should look like, is well on its way to fulfilling its promise. But can its financial achievements be duplicated by U.S. facilities?

A newly released update to the landmark 2008 Nachimson study says two-thirds of practices would fall in the upper range of implementation cost projections.