The American Hospital Association sent a letter (pdf) last week to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), urging Congress to preserve the charitable tax deduction as Congress and President Barack Obama continue their talks to avoid the "fiscal cliff."

Most shares of for-profit hospital companies fared well during the week of Dec. 3 — with one notable exception.

Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems will pay its shareholders a special cash dividend of $0.25 per share Dec. 28.

Here are 16 issues dealing with Medicare or Medicaid that occurred in the past week, starting with the most recent.

Terri Newsom joined Greenville (S.C.) Hospital System in March 2011 as vice president of financial services and CFO. Since that time, the health system has expanded its leading market share and is forging ahead with major portions of healthcare reform.

Yesterday, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission released draft recommendations to Congress, including a proposed 1 percent increase to inpatient and outpatient hospital payments in fiscal year 2014, according to an AHA News Now report.

Tips on how to improve financial performance in any organization are a dime a dozen. Usually, organizations will readjust their focus on cutting costs by quickly glancing at labor expenses, supply chain and real estate — and cutting anything that…

One of the most important organizations within the healthcare sector is CMS, and for obvious reasons. It is one of the largest healthcare payors in the world, and the federal agency dictates many of the rules that will directly and…

Legislation to transition Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan to a non-profit mutual insurer has passed Michigan's House and Senate and now heads to Gov. Richard Snyder for his signature, according to an Ann Arbor News report.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has vetoed legislation that would have established a state-based health insurance exchange under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.