Here are five articles published on Becker's Hospital Review this past week that offer insight on the move to value-based contracts, hospital profitability and out-of-pocket healthcare costs.
1. Majority of healthcare executives expect finances to suffer in move to value-based contracts
Healthcare executives are more pessimistic about value-based contracts than they were in 2014, according to a survey from KPMG.
2. Medicare to be insolvent 2 years earlier than previously expected
Medicare's hospital-insurance trust fund will be depleted by 2028, two years sooner than estimated in 2015, according to the annual report card by the program's trustees.
3. 12 hospital closures so far in 2016
Hospitals across the nation face a myriad of financial challenges, including underpayments from Medicare and Medicaid and new reimbursement cuts. These financial challenges, combined with other issues such as declining patient volumes, have caused more than 60 rural hospitals to close over the past five years.
4. 5 factors that affect hospital profitability
A recent study published in Health Affairs examined Medicare cost report data to identify the factors directly associated with higher and lower hospital profitability.
5. Privately insured see 37% increase in out-of-pocket costs for hospital visits
A University of Michigan study found out-of-pocket costs for hospital visits for privately insured individuals increased 37 percent from 2009 to 2013.
More articles on healthcare finance:
Fort Worth hospital to close, 152 to lose jobs
Service cuts, layoffs may not be enough to save Oklahoma hospital, says CFO