Here are 15 articles recently published by Becker's Hospital Review that offer insight on hospital billing, health system financial performance, Medicare payment policies and more.
1. 5 latest hospital, clinic closures
From reimbursement landscape challenges to dwindling patient volumes, many factors lead hospitals and clinics to close or scale back services.
2. Political uncertainty doesn't change long-term outlook for healthcare, Fitch says
Fitch Ratings maintained its stable outlook on the healthcare sector, even as the current political climate generates uncertainty.
3. 11 health systems with strong finances
A roundup of 11 health systems with strong operational metrics and solid financial positions according to recent reports from Fitch Ratings, Moody's Investors Service and S&P Global Ratings.
4. MedPAC finalizes Part B payment policies: 4 things to know
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission finalized recommendations for Congress aimed at reducing growth in Part B drug spending.
5. Chargemaster prices have 'limited relationship' to hospital quality at best, study finds
A study in Health Affairs found although hospitals' chargemasters may reflect strategic business decisions, they do not have a significant relationship with quality of care provided.
6. Moody's maintains stable outlook on for-profit hospital sector
Moody's Investors Service maintained its stable outlook on the U.S. for-profit hospital sector for 2017, as it expects higher reimbursement rates from private payers to drive revenue growth.
7. Uninsured accounts pay approximately 6% on the dollar, analysis finds
The more patients owe in out-of-pocket costs, the less likely hospitals are to collect their payment, according to an analysis by Crowe Horwath.
8. 7 things to know about medical coding and billing specialists | 2017
Medical coding and billing specialists are an integral part of provider organizations' efforts to optimize revenue cycle management processes.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. Average claim denial rate for large hospitals, by region
Large hospitals — those with between 250 and 400 beds — in the Northern Plains have a higher average claim denial rate than large hospitals in any other U.S. geographic region, according to RelayHealth Financial's Revenue Cycle Index.
15. Study: Hospitals in Medicaid expansion states saw average revenue increase of $5M through 2015
With the ACA still intact — for now — the 19 states that have not expanded Medicaid under the law have the option to do so, a decision with important implications for hospitals, according to a report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Urban Institute.
More articles on healthcare finance:
$1M infusion allows California hospital to avoid closure — for now
Cleveland Clinic creates venture arm to maximize results of spinoff companies
Hedge fund looks to take control of Adeptus Health as bankruptcy looms