As lawmakers work on a legislative fix for surprise medical bills, they should ensure that the solution does not put rural healthcare at risk, argued Judy Baker, a former member of the Missouri House of Representatives and former regional director for HHS.

Today's healthcare providers face a multitude of business development pressures, from reducing operating costs and navigating consolidation efforts to successfully implement technology for data-driven decision making. To help meet these demands, some hospitals and health systems have found success with the help of an enterprise resource planning system.

CMS terminated its provider agreement with Pineville (Ky.) Community Health Center in May, and the hospital's Medicare and Medicaid funding has not been restored, according to TV station WATE 6.

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta saw its operating income and net income grow in the three months ended June 30, according to recently released financial documents.  

The White House is considering a payroll tax cut, President Donald Trump confirmed Aug. 20, according to The Washington Post.

The following hospitals and health systems posted job listings seeking a coder in the last week:

West Palm Beach, Fla.-based Rennova Health is taking steps to reopen Jamestown (Tenn.) Regional Medical Center after closing the 85-bed hospital in June, according to the Independent Herald.

Creditors are battling during bankruptcy proceedings over payment related to the closure of Hahnemann University Hospital, according to KYW Newsradio.

Below are 10 hospitals and health systems that posted job listings seeking CFOs during the past week.

The American Hospital Association is calling on CMS to eliminate some "temporary codes" to ensure that coding and documentation requirements are consistent for outpatient billing.

Texas legislation to address surprise medical bills will not protect millions of state residents, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

Most clinicians report administrative tasks, such as patient billing and collections, affect the amount of time they can spend with patients, according to a new study.

Massena (N.Y.) Memorial Hospital will receive a $20 million state grant and drastically improve its financial position by becoming part of Potsdam, N.Y.-based St. Lawrence Health System, according to NNY360.

Brentwood, Tenn.-based Quorum Health plans to close MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island, Ill., on Sept. 30, according to ABC7 Chicago.

Minneapolis-based Fairview Health Services reported an operating loss in the first half of fiscal year 2019, but ended the period with higher net income thanks to favorable performance on investments. 

Norfolk, Va.-based Sentara Healthcare improved its operating revenues and net income in the first half of fiscal year 2019, according to unaudited financial documents. 

Hospitals and health insurance companies are likely to sue the Trump administration if it moves forward with a plan pitched in July that would require hospitals to publish their standard prices and payer-specific negotiated rates, according to Bloomberg Law.

There's a lot of talk in the healthcare industry right now about price transparency and making the billing and payment process more consumer-centric, but the pace of change has been slow.

Monitoring revenue cycle performance is increasingly important for hospitals and health systems, physician organizations, ambulatory providers and integrated delivery systems as they aim to collect every dollar they are owed for their services. 

Florida passed a surprise-billing law in 2016 that some say could be a guide for federal lawmakers who are working to address the issue, according to WUSF.