Healthcare Finance Staff
When media organizations noticed a 606-page final rule on health insurance exchanges released the day after the July 4 holiday, a section that appears to allow exchanges to use income "self-attestation" jumped out.
Despite the fact that patients are clamoring for it and health organizations see its benefits, electronic communication from primary care physicians won't become commonplace until doctors' workloads are reduced – or they get paid extra for emails and phone calls.
Errors in manual claims processing are a big problem. While underpayments lead to complaints and rework, overpayments may go unnoticed and cost far more.
The apparent slowdown of the growth of healthcare spending has been noted by many in the healthcare industry, the policy world and economists. But what is causing it and how long it will last is unknown.
Hospitals will see a slight increase in Medicare payments in 2014 announced the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in a final rule released Friday.
Medicare will levy $227 million in fines against hospitals in every state but one for the second round of the government's campaign to reduce the number of patients readmitted within a month, according to federal records released Friday.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants to competitively bid the city government's health plan contract for the first time in 15 years -- an announcement that seems to have prompted the current insurer to curtail proposed rate increases.
Florida's Insurance Commissioner has released a list of approved health plans that will be sold in the state's federally-run exchange and in the open market -- with an average premium increase of 39 percent.
A recent Consumer Reports analysis rating U.S. hospitals on surgical care has found that the biggest and most renowned hospitals aren't necessarily the best.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee has approved unanimously legislation to repeal and replace the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula, moving another step closer to a more stable Medicare physician payment system based on delivering quality and efficient care instead of 11th-hour fixes.