Today's Top 20 Health Finance Stories
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Congress gives HHS $182M to eliminate Medicare appeals backlog by 2022
HHS projects a federal appropriation will allow it to eliminate the Medicare appeals backlog by fiscal year 2022, according to a court brief filed Aug. 3. - 8/24/18 -
5 recent hospital, health system outlook and credit rating actions
The following hospital and health system credit rating and outlook changes and affirmations occurred in the last week, beginning with the most recent. - 8/24/18 -
4 notable donations to healthcare organizations this week
Several healthcare organizations recently received donations to fund research, advance treatments, improve patient care and start renovations. - 8/24/18 -
S&P revises West Park Hospital District's outlook to stable
S&P Global Ratings revised the outlook to stable from positive on Cody, Wyo.-based West Park Hospital District. - 8/24/18 -
Top 5 eligibility best practices
A recent article by Healthcare Fiscal Management/maxRTE discusses the top five eligibility best practices for improving revenue cycle management. - 8/24/18 -
Texas Children's operating income soars 448% in first 9 months of fiscal year
Houston-based Texas Children's saw revenues and operating income increase in the first nine months of fiscal year 2018, according to recently released unaudited financial documents. - 8/24/18 -
This week's 5 must-reads for hospital CFOs
Here are five articles recently published by Becker's Hospital Review that offer insight on hospital closures, cost-cutting strategies and more. - 8/24/18 -
Proposed payment changes could influence hospitals' acquisition strategies
CMS' 2019 Medicare Outpatient Prospective Payment System proposed rule, which calls for site-neutral payments and various other hospital payment changes, would likely put pressure on nonprofit and for-profit hospital operating margins, according to S&P Global Ratings. - 8/24/18 -
Private equity firms pouring millions into physician offices: 3 things to know
Several private equity firms are investing in primary care clinic operators, driven in part by greater employer pressure to lower medical costs, according to Bloomberg. - 8/23/18 -
TPC taps Healthfuse for revenue cycle vendor management
TPC, a Plano, Texas-based network of independent health systems in four states, is partnering with Healthfuse, a revenue cycle vendor management services provider for hospitals and health systems. - 8/23/18 -
10 hospitals seeking RCM talent
As hospitals and health systems juggle ACA compliance and implement payment models to transition from fee-for-service medicine, many are looking to strengthen their financial management teams. - 8/23/18 -
Moody's revises ThedaCare's outlook to negative
Moody's Investors Service affirmed its "A1" rating on $223 million of Appleton, Wis.-based ThedaCare's debt. Concurrently, the credit agency revised the healthcare provider's outlook to negative from stable. - 8/23/18 -
Hospitals cut liability costs when staff apologizes for medical errors, study finds
Hospital staff and physicians who explain, apologize for and resolve adverse medical events cut legal defense and liability costs, according to a study led by Atlanta-based Georgia State University researchers. - 8/23/18 -
Kaiser's net income down 21% in first half of 2018
Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente recorded higher revenue for its nonprofit hospital and health plan units in the first half of fiscal year 2018; however, the system ended the period with a decline in net income. - 8/23/18 -
6 recent RCM tips
Here are six revenue cycle management tips from experts, published by Becker's Hospital Review after Aug 2. - 8/23/18 -
RCM tip of the day: Understand why reimbursement isn't coming
To ensure timely and proper payment for services, hospitals and health systems must identify the cause of insurance claim denials, said Tom Romeo, general manager of healthcare IT and Quanum Solutions at Quest Diagnostics. - 8/23/18 -
Loyale Healthcare, LLC, provides insight on rising healthcare costs and impacts on patient satisfaction
In a recent press release, Loyale Healthcare, LLC, a leading firm in healthcare financial services, provides insight on rising healthcare costs and impacts on patient satisfaction. - 8/22/18 -
Hospitals expect to increase labor budgets, cut operating expenses next year, survey says
Hospital executives are projecting higher labor budgets in the coming year to address anticipated continued shortages of physicians, nurses and mental health providers, according to a Navigant analysis of Healthcare Financial Management Association survey data. - 8/22/18 -
S&P downgrades EvergreenHealth's rating to 'A'
S&P Global Ratings downgraded Kirkland, Wash.-based EvergreenHealth's long-term rating to "A" from "A+." The health system is also known as King County Public Hospital District No. 2. - 8/22/18 -
4 Questions healthcare executives should ask before launching a Medicare advantage plan
If you are a healthcare executive and concerned about how best to transition your organization to value-based care, you aren’t alone. - 8/22/18