Accounting & Financial Management
Lobbies for doctors and dentists in California say insurers should foot the bill for pandemic expenses.
Between 2015 and 2019, spending increased by 21.8%, or $1,074 per person, with prices rising and utilization declining.
Clinical labor costs are up by an average of 8% per patient day, translating to $17 million in additional annual labor expenses.
Last year's increase was the smallest in decades and is seen as an anomaly, as many people deferred care and embraced telemedicine.
The average estimated allowed amounts rose 76.4%, while the average Medicare reimbursements rose 4.7% from 2017 to 2020.
The rule includes a payment dispute resolution process for uninsured or self-pay individuals, and outlines requirements for cost estimates.
OIG suspected MA companies have financial incentives to make beneficiaries appear as sick as possible.
The report received harsh criticism from advocacy group 340B Health, which called the methodology highly flawed.
Applications for the relief distributions open up on September 29.
Patient volume increases and cost reduction measures led to significant revenue increases, which were hampered in 2020 by COVID-19.