US House of Representatives moves to expand the use of telehealth beyond COVID-19
Editor's Note Leaders of the US House of Representatives telehealth caucus introduced legislation on July 16 to permanently open up access to telehealth services for Medicare patients, the July 16 Fierce Healthcare reports. The bipartisan bill will eliminate restrictions on use in Medicare patients, and it will provide a bridge…
COVID-19 hospitalization costs could reach $17B this year
Editor's Note A new Avalere analysis estimates the cost of COVID-19 hospitalizations could range between $9.6 billion and nearly $17 billion this year, depending on infection and hospitalization trends, the June 23 Fierce Healthcare reports. The analysis considers the cost of hospitalizations in three scenarios: $9.6 billion, if there is…
ASC offsets some revenue loss through 'Hospital Without Walls' waiver
Far fewer cases of COVID-19 have been seen in rural areas of the US than in large urban populations. But even healthcare facilities not inundated with COVID-19 patients have sustained revenue losses and disruptions in standard procedures. One major advantage for Heartland Surgery Center in Kearney, Nebraska, was seeing the…
Proactive payment collection reduces bad debt risk
Establishing policies to collect payment before surgery has grown in importance as high-deductible health plans impose larger out-of-pocket costs on patients. To help manage patients’ expectations about costs and increase the likelihood of collecting payment, some experts believe a culture shift is in order. They say healthcare facilities should be…
CMS to make some pandemic telehealth provisions permanent
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator Seema Verma says use of telehealth has grown dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, and some provisions that were extended temporarily will be made permanent, the June 2 Becker’s Hospital Review reports. During the pandemic, CMS expanded access to telehealth…
CMS releases proposed inpatient payment rule for FY 2021
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on May 11 released a proposed rule that increases Medicare inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) rates by a net of 3.1% in FY 2021, compared to 2020, for acute care hospitals participating in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program that…
CMS issues recommendations on reopening hospitals in areas with low COVID-19 incidence
Editor's Note: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on April 19 issued recommendations on how hospitals and healthcare systems can protect their staff and patients as they reopen for nonemergent care. The new recommendations update earlier guidance on limiting nonessential surgical and medical procedures and are specifically targeted…
CMS announces regulatory relief for VBC programs in response to COVID-19
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on March 22 extended the deadlines for quality reporting and applications for providers, clinicians, and facilities in value-based care (VBC) programs as they face a growing number of COVID-19 patients. CMS also announced that it will not use any data…
CMS releases recommendations on adult elective surgeries, procedures
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on March 18 released recommendations that all elective surgeries and nonessential medical, surgical, and dental procedures be delayed during the COVID-19 outbreak. As more healthcare providers are asked to assist with the COVID-19 response, it is important that they consider…
Outcomes, costs of Medicare patients having surgery at teaching vs nonteaching hospitals
Editor's Note This study of Medicare patients at 340 teaching hospitals and matched patient controls at 2,444 nonteaching hospitals found that as risk of mortality increased, the mortality benefit of treatment at teaching hospitals also increased, though with marginally higher costs. Included in the analysis were 86,751 pairs of general,…
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