Here are five articles published by Becker's Hospital Review this week that offer insight on changes to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, healthcare costs and more.
1. 8 changes to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule in 2017
CMS issued its update to the 2017 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. The changes include a number of new policies that reflect a broader agencywide strategy to enhance quality, spend smarter and improve Americans' health.
2. Retired cardiologist says hospitals' quest for profits fuels higher healthcare costs
Four of the 10 hospitals that earned the largest profits from patient care services in 2013 were nonprofit, and the value of the nonprofit hospital tax exemption has grown significantly in recent years. Without action by Congress, nonprofit hospitals' earnings will continue to grow, according to a recent commentary in The American Journal of Medicine by Robert M. Doroghazi, MD.
3. CMS makes offer to clear Medicare appeals backlog: 6 things to know
In an effort to help clear the backlog of Medicare appeals, CMS offered to pay hospitals 66 percent of the net allowable amount for short-term inpatient stays in exchange for hospitals dropping their pending appeals of denied claims.
4. Fitch: ACA repeal would be credit negative for hospitals
President-elect Donald Trump intends to dismantle the ACA, a move that would be credit negative for healthcare providers, according to a Fitch Ratings report.
5. An 8-item checklist for picking the right RCM partner
Representatives from RemitDATA recently spoke with Becker's Hospital Review about areas to consider when choosing an RCM partner.
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BlackRock ups stake in CHS to become company's second-largest shareholder
UPMC operating margin shrinks in Q1
How CHS, Tenet, UHS, LifePoint and HCA fared in Q3