The changes to medical debt reporting announced by three of the leading credit bureaus back in March are set to take effect July 1. These changes underscore the seriousness of medical debt in America and the need to work toward common-sense solutions that help consumers while also supporting the provider community.

Hospitals in less competitive hospital referral regions and hospital systems with greater market shares are more compliant with CMS' price transparency rules, a study published June 24 in JAMA Health Forum found.

Drexel University and Tower Health, co-owners of St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, announced on June 30 that private donors joined with some of Philadelphia's leading institutions to secure more than $50 million in financial support over the next two years.

Several hospitals are trimming their workforces due to financial and operational challenges, and some are offering affected workers new positions.

The Sturgis (Mich.) City Commission unanimously approved a $645,000 loan on June 30 to help Sturgis Hospital stay open while awaiting potential state funding.

Despite their U.S. Supreme Court win, 340B hospitals shouldn't expect to receive withheld program funds soon, McDermott Will & Emery partner Emily Cook said in a July 1 opinion piece for Bloomberg Law. 

A bipartisan group of 12 senators is rejecting the Department of Veterans Affairs' plan to close or overhaul hospitals that no longer meet the healthcare needs of U.S. veterans, according to a June 29 report by The Washington Post.

Olive, a tech startup that uses artificial intelligence to automate healthcare tasks, has launched a flagship revenue cycle management suite, Autonomous Revenue Cycle. 

King of Prussia Pa.-based Universal Health Services is revising its forecast for the year due to a significant shortfall in operating results during April and May of 2022 compared to the original annual results forecast.

Nearly half of revenue cycle leaders said their departments are facing severe labor shortages, according to a midyear financial trends report released June 29 by R1 RCM. 

Santa Cruz Valley Regional Hospital in Green Valley, Ariz., is closing June 30 at 12:00 p.m. The closure will result in 315 workers losing their jobs, according to a notice filed with state regulators. 

Primary care physicians forgo considerable amounts of Medicare revenue because they infrequently use billing codes for prevention and coordination services despite having eligible patients, according to a study published June 28 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said a first-of-its-kind agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency will provide $250 million in reimbursement funds for New York hospitals to cover previously rejected costs incurred during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sturgis (Mich.) Hospital is planning to close by the end of July if it is unable to quickly secure new funding or find a buyer, MBiz reported June 28. 

Entrepreneur Charles Huang, PhD, the founder of the Charles Huang Foundation, announced June 27 a $7.5 million donation to Arcadia-based Methodist Hospital of Southern California.

The American Hospital Association wants HHS to act quickly to ensure that affected hospitals receive withheld 340B program funds. 

Hospitals and health systems were hindered by skyrocketing expenses and depressed margins in May despite improved revenue and patient volume, according to a June 28 Kaufman Hall report. 

Prospect Medical Holdings, the parent company of Crozer Health, is set to receive a $450,000 settlement from the Chester Upland School District in Chester, Pa, according to a June 27 report from Philadelphia PBS affiliate WHYY. The settlement stems from a 2018 legal dispute over property taxes.

Here are 19 health systems with strong operational metrics and solid financial positions, according to reports from Fitch Ratings, Moody's Investors Service and S&P Global Ratings.

Not-for-profit hospitals and healthcare systems continue to face significant operating challenges as they attempt to keep revenues on pace with escalating operating expenses fueled by inflation, according to a June 27 report from S&P.