Here are five articles published on Becker's Hospital Review this past week that offer insight on uncompensated hospital care, lab fee schedule changes and hospital credit downgrades.
1. 5 health systems with strong finances
Recent reports from Moody's Investors Service and Standard & Poor's Ratings Services identify five health systems with strong operational metrics and solid financial positions.
2. CMS finalizes lab fee schedule changes: 5 key takeaways
CMS issued a final rule that revises the Medicare payments system for clinical diagnostic laboratory tests paid under the Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule and implements changes required by the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014.
3. 14 hospitals receive credit downgrades in past month
Fourteen hospitals and health systems received a credit downgrade during the past month, according to a report from HFA Partners.
4. Uncompensated hospital care fell by $6B nationally in 2014: This and 3 more findings
The expansion of healthcare coverage to millions of previously uninsured Americans under the Affordable Care Act has helped produce an overall decline in nationwide uncompensated care from $34.9 billion to $28.9 billion in 2014, according to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
5. MedPAC issues June report to Congress: 8 Medicare issues
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission released its June 2016 report on Medicare payment policy to Congress, in which it gives a status report on the Medicare Advantage and Part D drug programs.
More articles on healthcare finance:
Majority of healthcare executives expect finances to suffer in move to value-based contracts
Fort Worth hospital to close, 152 to lose jobs
Service cuts, layoffs may not be enough to save Oklahoma hospital, says CFO