The American Medical Association urged congressional leaders to lift the freeze on Medicare physician payments and provide updates that reflect inflation and practice costs. Following a recent Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) report, the American Medical Association (AMA) has asked Congress to update the Medicare physician payment system to include a stable annual payment rate […]
CMS encouraged Medicare Advantage plans to waive prior authorizations during the public health emergency, but AHA urged the agency to make it a requirement instead of a suggestion. The American Hospital Association (AHA) has asked CMS to work with Congress and require Medicare Advantage plans to waive prior authorization processes during the current and future […]
There are barriers to telehealth adoption that physicians must overcome to realize the technology’s promise. Telehealth clearly has crossed a threshold of acceptance and now is viewed by physicians, payers and patients as an essential part of healthcare. It’s no surprise Fortune Business Insights predicts the telehealth market will reach $636.4 billion by 2027. […]
The third batch of Phase 4 COVID-19 Provider Relief Funds will offer $560 million to 4,100 providers who faced revenue loss during the pandemic and serve vulnerable populations. HHS is distributing another $560 million in Provider Relief Fund Phase 4 payments to over 4,100 healthcare providers that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Provider […]
National healthcare spending increased by 3.4 percent in 2021, while the Health Care Price Index (HCPI) maintained a year-over-year growth of around 2 percent, according to Altarum’s February 2022 Health Sector Economic Indicators (HSEI) briefs. Unlike the December 2021 and January 2022 briefs, Altarum included federal government expenditures in the February data, which significantly impacted […]
Honing your approach when negotiating with insurers can lead to better reimbursement rates. Last I checked my plumber charges me more than some physicians make for some services. It’s not to say that plumbers don’t work hard, but they certainly didn’t have to invest an inordinate amount of time and money to get specialized degrees. […]
During a National Stakeholder Call on January 18, 2022, Ellen Montz—Deputy Administrator and Director of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)—announced that CMS had begun publishing state-specific letters (the “Enforcement Letters”) detailing anticipated Federal and state responsibilities with respect to enforcement of the […]
The bill comes in the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court decision blocking President Biden’s nationwide vaccine mandate for large employers. A group of California lawmakers, led by District 15 Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, have introduced a bill proposing that all businesses in the state mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for their employees. Assembly Bill 1993 would require […]
Low-performing hospitals to see a 1 percent cut in Medicare payments under HAC Reduction Program in 2022. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced last month that 764 hospitals will face Medicare payment cuts in fiscal year (FY) 2022 under the Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program (HACRP). The value-based program may reduce Medicare payments […]
The biggest noncompliance was non-posting or incomplete posting of all of the negotiated prices for each item and service. In a federal price transparency rule that took effect January 1, 2021, hospitals were tasked with posting all of their prices online in clear, easily accessible formats. But a new survey from patientrightsadvocate.org has found that, […]