American Hospital Association President and CEO Rich Umbdenstock has sent a letter (pdf) to HHS and the Department of Justice, asking how hospitals can better improve the use of their electronic health records when billing Medicare and Medicaid.

Hospitals can now view their Actual Percentage Payment Summary Report for the fiscal year 2013 Value-Based Purchasing Program on CMS' My QualityNet, according to an AHA News Now report.

Moody's Investors Service has downgraded Pittsburgh-based West Penn Allegheny Health System's bond rating further within the junk status range — from "Caa1" to "Ca" — saying it believes there is a "high likelihood of a restructuring or bankruptcy filing" in…

A hospital's teaching status could significantly alter its operating margin, as major teaching hospitals historically have had lower margins due to their research programs and high-cost cases.

Ron Hulscher has made a career of helping small hospitals in the Pacific Northwest, and he currently serves as CFO of the Mark Reed Health Care District, which is a critical access hospital in McCleary, Wash.

The top eight executives at Lewis County General Hospital in Lowville, N.Y., have offered to remove themselves from the state's retirement system, a move that could save the hospital roughly $100,000 per year, according to WWNY report.

Memorial Health Care System in Chattanooga, Tenn., and health insurer UnitedHealthcare have agreed to new terms on a reimbursement contract, according to a Chattanoogan report.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has laid out a plan that will dish out $300 million to city hospitals damaged by Hurricane Sandy, according to an amNewYork report.

AARP and five other professional organizations sent a letter to leaders in Congress last week, pressing them to avert the impending Medicare cut to physicians and replace the sustainable growth rate altogether.

When states endure higher rates of unemployment, they usually incur a higher Medicare spending per capita and increased hospital use by Medicare beneficiaries, according to a study from Health Affairs.