Tag: Health Care Reform

Effect of Medicare’s bundled payment program on volume, case mix

Editor's Note Hospital participation in Medicare’s Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) program for lower extremity joint replacement (LEJR) was not associated with changes in overall procedural volume or the majority of patient case-mix factors, this study finds. The analysis of 1,717,243 Medicare patients found hospital participation in the BPCI…

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By: Judy Mathias
September 6, 2018
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First year analysis of CJR bundled payment model

Editor's Note This interim analysis of the first year of the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) bundled payment model finds that CJR may reduce institutional postacute care. Of  75 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) that were assigned the bundled payment model and 121 control MSAs, the mean percentage of discharges…

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By: Judy Mathias
September 4, 2018
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Study: Physicians, patients dissatisfied with EHRs

Editor's Note In this study, researchers at Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, found that physicians and patients alike are dissatisfied with the use of electronic health records (EHRs). Researchers surveyed patients, physicians, mid-level providers, and nonclinical staff at two OB-GYN practices and a regional hospital from 2009 to 2013 during implementation…

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By: Judy Mathias
August 21, 2018
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Orthopedic bundled payment models on the fast track--Part 1

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is poised to launch Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) Advanced on October 1, 2018, and is continuing its Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) bundled payment model for total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA, TKA). “Orthopedics is the most important service…

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By: Cynthia Saver, MS, RN
August 21, 2018
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Editorial

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on July 12 issued a proposed rule with potential changes to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule on or after January 1, 2019. According to CMS, the changes would increase the time available for physicians and other clinicians to spend with their patients…

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By: Elizabeth Wood
August 21, 2018
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Hospitals using bundled payments report reduced SNF use and improved care integration

Editor's Note Hospitals participating in Medicare’s Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement model or its Bundled Payments for Care Improvement initiative for lower extremity joint replacement episodes report reducing skilled nursing facility (SNF) use and improving care coordination, in this survey. Interviews of executives or administrators in each of 22 hospitals…

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By: Judy Mathias
August 7, 2018
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EHRs are top factor contributing to physician burnout

Editor's Note A recent Reaction Data survey of 254 physicians found that 21% believed electronic health records (EHRs) were the biggest determinant in burnout, followed by payers/preauthorization, regulatory compliance, and internal bureaucracy, the July 31 Healthcare Informatics reports. All factors had a common theme of consuming time and preventing physicians…

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By: Judy Mathias
August 2, 2018
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US House votes to kill medical device tax

Editor's Note A bill that would repeal the medical device tax cleared the House of Representatives on July 24 in a 283-132 vote. the July 24 The Hill reports. The tax provided part of the funding for the Affordable Care Act. Rep Erik Paulsen (R-Minn), the bill sponsor, says the…

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By: Judy Mathias
July 26, 2018
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Editorial

Value-based payment (VBP) models of patient care have not been shown to effectively reduce healthcare costs, according to a recent report from the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA). But that conclusion comes with several caveats, such as: • It’s too soon to have data on programs like the Medicare Shared…

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By: Elizabeth Wood
July 23, 2018
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Association between skilled nursing facility use and postop readmission rates

Editor's Note Use of postacute care in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) for total hip replacement (THR) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) patients was not associated with changes in readmission rates, in this study. Of 176,994 CABG patients at 804 hospitals and 233,955 THR patients at 1,220 hospitals, SNF use…

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By: Judy Mathias
July 17, 2018
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