1. 5 states with the most rural hospital closures
Of the 25 states that have seen at least one rural hospital close since 2010, those with the most closures are in the South, according to research from the North Carolina Rural Health Research Program.
2. 15 things to know about hospital billing and patient payments
Hospitals across the nation are exploring ways to capture more revenue to succeed in the current challenging economic environment. At the same time, many patients are facing unexpected medical bills and having trouble paying for their care.
3. Survey: 64% of healthcare providers remain ‘unprepared’ or ‘very unprepared’ for MACRA
A vast majority of healthcare providers still have work to do when it comes to preparing for the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, according to a Health IT Industry Outlook Survey conducted by Stoltenberg Consulting.
4. Fitch: Uncompensated care could increase next year under ACA
Without modifications to the ACA, exchange enrollment could suffer and hospitals are likely to see uncompensated care rise next year, according to Fitch Ratings.
5. 8 pieces of advice on improving claim collection rates
With the rise of high-deductible health plans and pressure on reimbursement rates, many hospitals and health systems are trying to improve collection rates to maintain or boost their financial performance.
More articles on healthcare finance:
Hospital stocks sink as Republicans continue healthcare reform push
South Carolina hospital at risk of losing Medicare funding
Banner Health sees operating income rise as patient volume grows
