News

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has found that hospitals with a large portion of low-income patients also have higher readmission rates, and, therefore, higher penalties under Medicare's hospital readmissions reduction program.

Lisa Flavin, a consultant with executive search firm Witt/Kieffer talked to Healthcare Finance News about why hospitals and healthcare organizations should be using interim executives.

Between 2005 and 2011, chemotherapy procedures in hospital outpatient settings for Medicare patients increased by more than 150 percent finds an analysis commissioned by members of the oncology community.

MedPAC has found that hospitals with a large portion of low-income patients also have higher readmission rates, and, therefore, higher penalties under Medicare's hospital readmissions reduction program. That imbalance was one of the reasons that MedPAC, in its annual June report to Congress, has recommended that Medicare modify its readmissions reduction policy.

The Healthcare Financial Management Association released on Sunday, the opening day of its annual conference, a draft of new best practices for patient financial interactions.

For many small, community stand-alone health systems across the country, eventually merging with another larger healthcare organization remains a distinct possibility. Until that day arrives though -- if it does at all -- these organizations must continue to focus their efforts on meeting the quality care needs of the local community.

Selecting the "right" collection agency partner is critical for providers, a panel of experts said Monday at the Healthcare Financial Management Association's ANI 2013 conference in Orlando, Fla.

Improving revenue cycle performance at a hospital or health system often requires changes to processes and technology, but also demands a renewed sense of teamwork, said officials at New Jersey’s Atlantic Health System.

Mid-Atlantic region payer CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield will launch in October an intelligent virtual assistant, called "Chloe," to help consumers who get their coverage directly from the payer's website to select the appropriate health plan.

With the remaining provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) going into effect in less than a year, employers are trying to prepare for how the law will impact health plan enrollment and cost.