Reimbursement news and information

The operating performance of not-for-profit hospitals and health systems rated by Fitch Ratings improved in 2012. But last year may be the “high water mark” for hospital finances as demand from patients grows increasingly weak and reimbursement cuts continue, a Fitch analyst warns.
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In June, MGMA-ACMPE released the results of a questionnaire that ranked members' most pressing practice management challenges. In this edition of "Practice Makes Perfect," we'll tackle No. 2 on that list: Preparing for reimbursement models that place a...
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When voters OK'd a ballot measure intended to limit what El Camino Hospital could pay its executives and managers, the hospital's board worried about the implications for hiring.
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The CMS is seeking public comment on how best to make physician-specific Medicare payment data publicly available while also protecting the privacy of patients. Physician organizations have vigorously opposed the release of physician-specific data but the dike appears to be crumbling.
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Rural/Metro Corp., one of the nation's largest ambulance companies with operations mostly in rural areas in 21 states, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to restructure its finances and save its business.
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The number of hospitals facing financial penalties for failing to stop patients from returning to the hospital will remain steady next year, but the potential severity of the punishments is doubling.
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The hospital supply chain is becoming more strategic and taking a more prominent role in guiding decisions that weigh clinical outcomes against the costs of medical supplies, devices and prescription drugs. But it still has a long way to go.
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The CMS has issued its final Medicare 2014 payment rule for inpatient stays at acute-care hospitals and long-term care facilities.
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Hospices are slated to receive an increase in their Medicare payments in the coming fiscal year under a final rule issued Friday by the CMS.
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Unlike a number of other publicly traded health insurers that did very well in the second quarter, Universal American Corp., which specializes in Medicare Advantage products, reported an adjusted net loss for the second quarter. Its revenue slid and its medical-loss ratio came in significantly...
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