Here are 10 articles recently published by Becker's Hospital Review that offer insight on hospital bad debt, healthcare spending, revenue cycle management challenges and more.
1. 5 health system finance, revenue cycle leaders on their biggest RCM challenges
Five healthcare leaders shared with Becker's Hospital Review the biggest revenue cycle challenges they face.
2. Consolidation helped fuel 20% jump in healthcare bankruptcies
An increasing number of healthcare organizations are filing for bankruptcy, and that trend is partially attributable to the rate of consolidation in the industry.
3. Top 10 costliest medical conditions in 2016
Multimillion-dollar stop-loss claims rose 68 percent between 2013 and 2016 for Wellesley, Mass.-based Sun Life Financial, according to its fifth annual 2017 Sun Life Stop-Loss research report.
4. 10 things to know about 2016 healthcare consumer payment trends
Increasing patient financial responsibility means a growing portion of provider and payer revenue is tied to direct consumers payments — posing challenges and opportunities for healthcare organizations.
5. Top priorities for hospital CFOs today
Declining reimbursements, high deductible health plans and uncertainty from government payers are the key issues keeping hospital and health system CFOs across the country up at night. But many are developing innovative ways to address these issues with population health and waste-eliminating strategies.
6. Hospital bad debt: 10 trends to know
With the increasing popularity of high-deductible health plans, hospitals and health systems are struggling to recover payment from patients. This leaves many healthcare organizations with debt they won't be able to recoup.
7. Study: High price not necessarily indicative of better quality for outpatient services
High prices for outpatient services at physician practices do not necessarily guarantee better care quality and efficiency, suggests a study published in Health Affairs.
8. Moody's: US nonprofit hospitals see decrease in median operating margin
U.S. nonprofit hospitals' median operating margin fell in fiscal year 2016 as expenses grew, according to preliminary financial data compiled by Moody's Investors Service.
9. How Trump plans to fix the Medicare appeals process
President Donald Trump included proposals to fix the Medicare appeals process in his fiscal year 2018 budget.
10. 41% of healthcare spending attributed to 12% of Americans, study finds
U.S. adults with five or more chronic conditions spend 14 times more on health services on average than those with no chronic conditions, according to a RAND Health report prepared for the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease.
More articles on healthcare finance:
CHI Health closes Nebraska hospital, opens new ED
Dana-Farber operating income plunges 66% on unplanned costs of CMS review
UHS hospital in Oklahoma faces Medicare termination on heels of Buzzfeed News investigation