Three Philadelphia-based hospitals are reportedly up for sale, according to an email notice from Los Angeles-based investment bank Xnergy, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Dec. 19.

Madera (Calif.) Community Hospital, which officially closed at midnight Dec. 30, 2022, and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last March, has agreed to new management and an eventual sale of the hospital, the San Joaquin Valley Sun reported Dec. 19.

Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center based in West Burlington announced planned layoffs across two hospitals on Dec. 19, according to an Iowa WARN notice.

Kaiser Permanente is laying off 79 administrative employees across California. The move comes after the Oakland, Calif.-based organization disclosed in December it is also eliminating 115 IT positions, 74 of which are based in California.

Christmas came a week early for 29,000 former patients of Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. 

The Healthcare Financial Management Association and healthcare technology firm Xsolis will create an executive revenue integrity council. 

Jersey City, N.J.-based CarePoint Health is requesting at least $130 million in state funding to help tackle "unprecedented challenges" and provide essential healthcare services to the community.

With a fresh $92 million investment, a company that helps employers bypass insurers to contract with physicians and hospitals for healthcare services is now valued at $1 billion. 

Private equity firms have drawn significant policy interest and scrutiny amid recent reports of surprise billing, rising out-of-pocket costs for patients and increased healthcare spending in the U.S., according to Health Affairs. 

The federal government issued a final rule Dec. 18 setting the fee to enter the No Surprises Act arbitration process at $115. 

The healthcare sector faces a critical juncture due to mounting macroeconomic challenges, particularly from the increasing complexities and financial pressures of Medicare Advantage Organization’s (MAO) reimbursement processes.

Whether or not your fiscal cycle starts in January, the onset of the new year is a good time to take stock of the past year’s performance and set new goals for 2024. One goal that should be on every healthcare provider, hospital, and healthcare system’s list is to examine and clean up your outstanding accounts receivable (AR). Many factors, such as payer agreements, the Medicare physician fee schedule, and your market dynamics limit what you can charge. These limitations make it imperative that you don’t leave money on the table due to addressable weaknesses in your revenue cycle management (RCM) process.

An appeal will be heard by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court regarding Los Angeles-based Prospect Holdings' fall 2022 closure of acute care services to Delaware County (Pa.) Memorial Hospital, owned by Springfield, Pa.-based Crozer Health, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Dec. 14. 

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill into law that prohibits hospitals, healthcare professionals and ambulances from reporting a person's medical debt to credit agencies.

Walgreens' VillageMD will exit the Indiana market and close a dozen clinics in the state in January 2024, which is in line with its majority owner's cost reduction plans. 

The majority of major corporate acquisitions over the past five years are struggling to deliver on synergies or earnings growth.

Dayton, Ohio-based Premier Health is advancing its existing affiliation agreement with Dayton-based Wright State University to create improvements in regional academic medicine, community health, workforce, and economic developments, according to a Dec.15 press release. 

Chicago-based Northwestern Medicine posted $352.3 million in operating income during fiscal year 2023, a 5% increase on the $335.8 million it reported in the previous fiscal year, according to financial documents published Dec. 6. 

Andy Zukowski, CFO of Greenville, N.C.-based ECU Health is heading into 2024 with a goal to make a big impact on rural healthcare. 

Manhattan residents on Dec. 14 rallied against Mount Sinai's plan to close its Beth Israel campus in July, according to a PIX II report.