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March 2025
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Nearly 1 in 3 US rural hospitals at risk of closure

Editor's Note More than 700 rural hospitals, representing 31% of all rural hospitals in the country, are at risk of closure, according to a report from the Center for Healthcare Quality & Payment Reform. Chief Healthcare Executive reported the news August 8. According to the article, 16% of all rural…

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By: Matt Danford
August 15, 2024
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Medicare drug price negotiations to save $6 billion in first year

Editor's Note Medicare’s first negotiations on 10 top-selling prescription drugs for older Americans will save the US government $6 billion in the first year, according to an August 15 article in Reuters. Enabled by President Joe Biden’s 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, negotiations for drugs used by Medicare—which covers 66 million…

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By: Matt Danford
August 15, 2024
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Cash flow problems plague US nonprofit hospitals, health systems

Editor's Note A new low for median days cash-on hand could spell trouble for US nonprofit hospitals and health systems, Healthcare Dive reported August 12. “Nonprofit hospitals’ cash on hand — the funds immediately available to finance daily operations — is one indicator of financial health,” the outlet reports. “Low cash…

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By: Matt Danford
August 14, 2024
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Vertical integration favors HOPDs over ASCs

Editor's Note Medicare and patient out-of-pocket costs are rising as vertical integration results in more procedures moving to hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) than to ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs), Becker’s ASC Review reported on August 8. The article summarizes a study published July 25 in Science Direct. Described as "physician vertical…

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By: Matt Danford
August 14, 2024
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Extreme heat, cyberattacks impact blood supply

Editor's Note The Red Cross is reporting a 25-percent drop in its national blood inventory due to hot weather a month after the American Hospital Association (AHA) warned about the impact of cyberattacks on critical supplies at hospitals. According to an August 6 report in The Hill, heat-related challenges have…

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By: Matt Danford
August 9, 2024
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CMS hospital ratings show performance decline in 2024

Editor's Note Hospital performance declined this year compared to last, with more than 60% earning three stars or less in 2024 hospital star ratings from The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). “This decline might be partly due to the data covering the period from April 2019 to March…

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By: Matt Danford
August 7, 2024
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2025 IPPS payment rule criticized

Editor's Note The American Hospital Association (AHA) criticized new inpatient prospective payment system rates issued August 1 by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), citing the potential of financial struggles for hospitals and reduced access for patients, particularly in rural or underserved areas. Under the new rule, most…

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By: Matt Danford
August 6, 2024
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Democratic vice-presidential nominee’s healthcare record examined

Editor's Note Having served six terms in Congress and as Governor of Minnesota since 2018, Democratic vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz has a long history of involvement in healthcare issues. MedPage Today published an overview of his track record on August 6, drawing on sources including ABC News, Star-Tribune, and the…

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By: Matt Danford
August 6, 2024
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Healthcare pays dearly for data breaches

Editor's Note Responding to and recovering from data breaches in healthcare is more expensive than any other industry, according to a report by IBM and the Ponemon Institute. Healthcare Dive reported on the results August 1. According to that article, the $9.8 million average cost for a breach this year…

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By: Matt Danford
August 5, 2024
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Healthcare employment up in July

Editor's Note Healthcare employment in the US rose by 55,000 from July to August,  according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), released on August 2. The gain is similar to the average monthly gain of 63,000 over the prior 12 months. In July, employment also…

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By: Matt Danford
August 2, 2024
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