If access to more affordable payment options were available, 2 in 5 patients would switch providers, according to a survey published by AccessOne, a patient portal.

R1 RCM Inc. (NASDAQ:RCM), a leader in technology-enabled revenue cycle management (RCM) services to healthcare providers, announced today that Rush University System for Health (RUSH) has entered into a strategic partnership to achieve revenue cycle performance excellence and accelerate innovation in healthcare.

The University of Louisville (Ky.), which previously said it needs a $50 million loan from the state to help it finance a turnaround plan for Jewish Hospital, has lowered its request by $15 million, according to the Courier Journal.

There are a growing number of physicians who are profiting off of personal injury cases by agreeing to treat patients in exchange for a lien tied to any award in the lawsuit, according to The Wall Street Journal.

One Medical, a membership-based chain of primary care clinics recently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission to raise up to $100 million in an initial public offering. It is one of several companies looking to change the way physicians get paid, according to Business Insider.

Ardent Health Services, the Nashville, Tenn.-based operator of 30 hospitals, withdrew its plan for an initial public offering Jan. 8, according to Nasdaq.

The cost of healthcare continues to shift toward patients. Around 30 percent of workers are now covered by high-deductible health plans — a percentage that increases every year.[1] Now more than ever, patients view the billing cycle as part of the total healthcare experience, and it's top of mind. Paying for unexpected healthcare expenses is the top financial concern for most Americans, according to a recent Gallup poll.[2]

The foundation of Trae Young, an NBA point guard from the Atlanta Hawks, helped wipe away more than $1 million in past-due medical bills for families in Atlanta, according to CNN.

Houston Methodist is advertising to patients with UnitedHealthcare coverage that even though the insurer ended its contract with the hospital system, they can still access care with their "out-of-network benefits," according to the Houston Chronicle.

A new television ad is attacking the billing practices used by Mission Hospital in Asheville, N.C., according to local news station WLOS.

In a recent press release, Kyruus, a leader in provider search and scheduling solutions for health systems, announced that it raised $42 million in new financing in a Series D round that brings its total funding to more than $125 million since its founding in 2010.

The healthcare industry continues to struggle with claims denial write-offs, which have climbed consistently over the past decade.

Astria Health will close its hospital in Yakima, Wash., within two weeks, according to a Jan. 8 announcement.

Eighty-three percent of hospitals in Colorado would see lower reimbursement under a proposed public insurance option, according to research released by a lobbying group representing hospitals and insurers.

For health system executives and revenue cycle staff, there is perhaps no challenge more vexing than claim denials. Denials can eat into an organization’s bottom line and the time-consuming process of appealing denied claims by itself can be costly, even when successful.

Northeast Georgia Health System and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield have a new contract, the Gainesville-based health system said Jan. 6.

Below are 10 hospitals and health systems that posted job listings seeking revenue cycle leaders during the past few weeks.

Ballad Health expanded its charity care policy and other financial guidelines to help patients lower their out-of-pocket medical costs, the Johnson City, Tenn.-based health system said Jan. 6.

A Chicago psychiatric hospital will lay off 275 employees after losing its Medicare funding last month, according to a notice filed with the state of Illinois.

The Cook County (Ill.) Health and Hospital System board's Nov. 22 decision to oust CEO John Jay Shannon, MD, will cost taxpayers more than $600,000, according to The Chicago Tribune.