New York plans to develop a consumer-friendly healthcare price comparison website in 2020,  Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D, announced Dec. 27. 

Connecticut lawmakers recently ratified an agreement with hospitals on a unanimous vote, ending a four-year legal battle over the provider tax imposed on hospitals in 2011, according to the Hartford Courant.

Physician specialties that generate the most revenue for hospitals and Medicare payment rules were among the healthcare revenue cycle management topics that piqued the interest of readers this year.

UPMC Susquehanna Sunbury (Pa.) dropped its challenge to a tax exemption denial on Dec. 24, according to The Daily Item.  

Ellwood City (Pa.) Medical Center shut down Dec. 10, and many of the 152 employees who lost their jobs when the hospital closed are still waiting on their paychecks, according to the Ellwood City Ledger.

Though El Paso (Texas) Children's Hospital was projected to lose $4 million in 2019, the hospital reported a profit for the first time this year, according to CBS4.

Finance chiefs nationwide are closing their spreadsheets in relief after the ACA's Cadillac tax was repealed, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Akron, Ohio-based Summa Health recorded a community benefit of $110.7 million in 2018, the health system's CEO said Dec. 16.

Fort Scott, Kan., saw its hospital close in December 2018. Now, a year later, the community is questioning whether it needs a hospital, according to Kaiser Health News.

In an effort to save millions annually, Massena (N.Y.) Memorial Hospital applied in April to gain status as a critical access hospital. On Dec. 23, the town-owned hospital confirmed CMS denied its application.

A psychiatric hospital in Chicago lost its ability to bill Medicare and Medicaid amid allegations of physical and sexual abuse of youth patients, according to CBS Chicago.

Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health reported a year-over-year increase in revenues in the third quarter of 2019, but the system ended the period with an operating loss, according to unaudited financial documents.

Physicians at Jellico (Tenn.) Community Hospital haven't been paid in months, and other workers' paychecks have been delayed, according to WVLT.

CMS has threatened to cut off Osawatomie (Kan.) State Hospital's Medicare funding early next year, according to The Wichita Eagle.

The following seven hospital and health system credit rating downgrades occurred in the past month. They are listed below in alphabetical order.

Below are 10 hospitals and health systems that recently posted job listings seeking CFOs.

Hospitals and providers in New Hampshire claim the Department of Veterans Affairs has failed to pay them promptly for care provided to veterans, according to the New Hampshire Union Leader.

TeamHealth has sued 700 patients who were unable to pay for emergency room care they received at Nashville General Hospital this year, but the physician staffing firm said it has stopped the practice and is offering patients discounts, according to WPLN News.

Hospital and health system CFOs and revenue cycle leaders have navigated many changes in the healthcare industry in 2019. Many headed up initiatives to make prices more transparent to patients, revamped billing and payment practices, and developed strategies to expand into new markets or partner with other organizations.

From reimbursement landscape challenges to dwindling patient volumes, many factors lead hospitals to file for bankruptcy.