Healthcare Financial Management articles from April 2008

Healthcare Financial Management archives from April 2008

MedPAC lays out a path to bundled payment.(Medicare)
April 1, 2008... In a presentation at its public meeting held March 5-6, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) floated the idea of issuing single payments for episodes of treatment that would be shared by both the hospital and physicians involved in...

Black, Latino children more than 12 times as likely as white children to live in 'double jeopardy,' says study.(Healthcare Diversity)
April 1, 2008... Almost 17 percent of black children and 20.5 percent of Latino children in the United States live in "double jeopardy," meaning that they live both in poor families and poor neighborhoods, according to research published in the March/April...

... The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) regulations require a facility to be appropriately certified for each test performed.(CMS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) regulations require a facility to be appropriately certified for each test performed. To ensure that Medicare and Medicaid pay for only those laboratory tests performed in certified...

... The physician fee schedule final rule for FY08 specifies various changes in comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facility (CORF) policy.(CMS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... The physician fee schedule final rule for FY08 specifies various changes in comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facility (CORF) policy. As a result, the following billing requirements will be effective for CORF 75x bill types effective July...

Federal budget critical for states, economy.(State Watch)
April 1, 2008... The federal budget resolution sets fiscal priorities and protects state-federal partnerships, and this year the blueprint comes with added importance: ensuring economic stability and bolstering economic growth, according to the National...

... For claims processed on or after July 1, 2008, edits will be implemented to treat as unprocessable competitive acquisition program (CAP) claims received with inappropriate spaces in prescription order numbers as well as claims with prescription order numbers with fewer than 10 characters.(CMS)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... For claims processed on or after July 1, 2008, edits will be implemented to treat as unprocessable competitive acquisition program (CAP) claims received with inappropriate spaces in prescription order numbers as well as claims with prescription...

Tennessee Gov. Bredesen proposes home-based care plan.(State Watch)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... A plan proposed by Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen (D) aims to reduce state healthcare spending by allowing elderly residents to receive care in their own homes rather than moving to a nursing home, the Knoxville News-Sentinel reported in early...

... In the Feb. 22, 2008, issue of the Federal Register, CMS published a final rule establishing a process for Medicare contractors to provide eligible participating physicians and beneficiaries with a determination of coverage relating to medical necessity for certain physicians' services before the services are furnished.(FEDERAL REGISTER)(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... In the Feb. 22, 2008, issue of the Federal Register, CMS published a final rule establishing a process for Medicare contractors to provide eligible participating physicians and beneficiaries with a determination of coverage relating to medical...

... By means of a final rule (Federal Register, Feb. 22, 2008), CMS establishes a process for Medicare contractors to provide eligible participating physicians and beneficiaries with a determination of coverage relating to medical necessity for certain physicians' services before the services are furnished.(FEDERAL REGISTER)(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... By means of a final rule (Federal Register, Feb. 22, 2008), CMS establishes a process for Medicare contractors to provide eligible participating physicians and beneficiaries with a determination of coverage relating to medical necessity for...

... On Feb. 29, 2008, CMS published in the Federal Register an interim final rule with comment period implementing the continuation of the revisit user fee program for Medicare survey and certification activities.(FEDERAL REGISTER)(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... On Feb. 29, 2008, CMS published in the Federal Register an interim final rule with comment period implementing the continuation of the revisit user fee program for Medicare survey and certification activities. On Sept. 19, 2007, CMS had...

... By means of a proposed rule (Federal Register, Feb. 29, 2008), CMS would revise and consolidate the criteria and processes for designating medically underserved populations (MUPs) and health professional shortage areas (HPSAs).(FEDERAL REGISTER)(Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... By means of a proposed rule (Federal Register, Feb. 29, 2008), CMS would revise and consolidate the criteria and processes for designating medically underserved populations (MUPs) and health professional shortage areas (HPSAs). These revisions...

Health spending expected to reach $4.3 trillion by 2017: CMS.(Quick Hits: Top News Stories of the Month)(Center For Medicare Services)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... By 2007, U.S. healthcare spending is expected to nearly double from 2007's projected level, reaching $4.3 trillion and consuming 19.5 percent of the nation's gross domestic product, report Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)...

States could get more flexibility in redesigning Medicaid.(Quick Hits: Top News Stories of the Month)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Two new proposed rules that would give states greater flexibility in designing their own Medicaid programs, including adjusting their benefit package to more closely align with beneficiary needs and requiring increased cost sharing by...

CMS regs to wield significant blow to states: report.(Quick Hits: Top News Stories of the Month)(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)(Report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... On March 3, Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, released The Administration's Medicaid Regulations: State-by-State Impacts. The report details the effects of seven regulations issued by...

Hospital groups sue government to stop Medicaid cuts.(Quick Hits: Top News Stories of the Month)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... A coalition led by the National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems, the American Hospital Association, and the Association of American Medical Colleges, and supported by the National Association of Children's Hospitals, on March...

Coverage losses continued even as economy improved 2004-06: study.(Quick Hits: Top News Stories of the Month)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... The number of uninsured people in the United States grew by 3.4 million from 2004 to 2006, even as a resurgent economy raised incomes and lowered poverty rates, Urban Institute researchers report in a Health Affairs web exclusive study...

Consumers want major changes in healthcare design, delivery: survey.(Quick Hits: Top News Stories of the Month)(Survey)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... U.S. consumers want more from their healthcare system than they're currently getting--greater online connection to healthcare providers and medical records, customized insurance coverage, and wider access to emerging innovations such as retail...

Free falling.(Member Spotlight)(goals of Pat Lash)(Healthcare Financial Management Association)
April 1, 2008... Pat Lash learned to skydive six years ago. Since then, he's performed more than 200 jumps. Pat Lash, FHFMA, CPA, would not describe himself as a risk taker. As a healthcare finance professional, Lash, a member of HFMA's San Diego...

Strategy and the Fat Smoker: Doing What's Obvious, But Not Easy.(Book review)
April 1, 2008... Strategy and the Fat Smoker: Doing What's Obvious, But Not Easy David H. Maister Boston: Spangle Press, 2008 David Maister is a renowned consultant to professional service firms in the accounting, legal, and advertising industries...

LTCH rule change affects all hospitals.(VIEWS)(long-term care hospitals)
April 1, 2008... On May 11, 2007, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services published the final rule describing the prospective payment system (PPS) for long-term care hospitals (LTCHs). The rule could have a devastating effect on the LTCH industry, but it...

Together we make a difference: during my year as HFMA chairman, I have had the privilege of traveling throughout the country listening to your hopes, concerns, and stories.(FROM THE CHAIRMAN)(Editorial)
April 1, 2008... I have been moved by my personal observation of the differences we can make together; our unity of purpose continually inspires me! Our profession is filled with many energetic, skilled, and well-intentioned individuals. However, a single...

Process and outcome: "the world doesn't want to hear about labor pains; it just wants to see the baby.".(FROM THE EDITOR)(Editorial)
April 1, 2008... That saying is ascribed to Johnny Sain, the great pitcher for the Boston Braves in the 1940s and highly regarded pitching coach for a number of teams. Sain used the expression to let players know that the public was interested in results, not...

HFMA publishes special report on leadership.(HFMA NEWS)(Report)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mission and margin require collaboration and innovation. A special report, Leadership, published by HFMA Learning Solutions, Inc., shows how physicians, nurses, finance, IT, and others found creative, cooperative...

HFMA names regional executives for 2008-09.(HFMA NEWS)(Healthcare Financial Management Association)(appointment of Phillips, Daniel J,Dipisa, Phillips,Acevedo, Vivian L)
April 1, 2008... HFMA has announced the names of the 11 new regional executives who will serve one-year terms beginning June 1. These individuals, who have served as regional executives-elect since June 2007, were elected by chapter presidents-elect during the...

Medicare continues to struggle with physician payment; the challenge of Medicare physician spending continues to be a thorny issue.(EYE ON WASHINGTON)
April 1, 2008... A year and a half ago, I wrote a column about the subject. The challenge then--and now--is to develop a strategy for reimbursing physicians that promotes the delivery of the appropriate mix and volume of services, provides good access, and...

Creating IT agility.(TECHNOLOGY)(Information technology)
April 1, 2008... Healthcare organizations are confronting an increasingly turbulent and rapidly changing world. The changes are coming from multiple directions--medical innovation, shifting consumer preferences, evolving payment strategies, and a shortage of...

Health reform and payment trends don't wait for politicians.(BUSINESS TRENDS)
April 1, 2008... Candidates' plans are unlikely to have any impact on healthcare reform in the foreseeable future, but payment is changing right now. Americans are keenly interested in how politicians propose to solve the growing problems of cost, quality,...

Improving registration accuracy.(REVENUE CYCLE)
April 1, 2008... As an industry, we've made great strides in developing innovative technologies for patient account management, which has significantly improved the financial picture of many hospitals. Many of the technologies focus on the back end of the...

A team approach to cost containment: how can finance collaborate with clinicians to reduce labor expenses and supply chain costs? Several hospitals share their strategies for success.(Cover story)
April 1, 2008... It's Friday night in the emergency department (ED) of Our Lady of Mercy Hospital, and a diminishing number of nurses are struggling to keep up with a steady onslaught of patients. A limited number of hospital beds are available, and if units...

Stop the supply chain insanity retail as a model for hospitals: the healthcare industry needs to follow the example of its retail counterparts and implement a product data utility system.(FEATURE STORY)
April 1, 2008... Relative to health care, retail and other large industries such as hardware, automotive, and grocery seem to have their act together when it comes to product identification down to the unit level. As healthcare costs continue to rise to an...

The future of the healthcare supply chain: suppliers wield considerable power, but healthcare organizations can benefit from virtual centralization of the supply chain.(FEATURE STORY)
April 1, 2008... At a recent conference, Wharton Professor R. Lawton Burns, PhD, author of The Health Care Value Chain, emphasized that while medical technology continues to evolve at a rapid clip, healthcare delivery has remained relatively stable for decades....

Vendors part of the supply chain solution: the experience of one health system shows that treating vendors as partners can be a key element in a healthcare organization's efforts to control supply costs.(FEATURE STORY)
April 1, 2008... When a health system is not optimizing financial and operational performance, it can point fingers in a lot of different directions. Often, the fingers are pointed at vendors. St. Joseph Health System in Bryan, Texas, had a different idea....

Information management why it's vital to effective service line operation: without a coherent information strategy supporting the service line, financial pitfalls will destroy even the most well-conceived plan.(FEATURE STORY)
April 1, 2008... The hospital service line model has emerged in recent years as a potent strategy for confronting the challenges of intensifying competition, flat or falling reimbursements, and an increasingly sophisticated, well-informed patient population....

Fair market value taking a proactive approach: increased regulatory scrutiny makes accurate and objective valuation of hospital-physician contractual arrangements more important than ever.(FEATURE STORY)
April 1, 2008... Today, many physicians and hospitals are responding to competitive pressures and changing payment formulas by developing innovative partnering structures designed to strengthen the relationships between healthcare institutions and physicians....

Transforming the healthcare system a focus on prevention: the U.S. healthcare system can become an effective model that promotes health and prevents disease for all of its citizens.(COMMENTARY)
April 1, 2008... At AARP, we are committed to making life better for people as they age. Building a better, safer, more affordable healthcare system is the most important thing we can do to improve the quality of life for everyone and keep from sticking our...

5 steps to creating a forecast: with the right process and tools, healthcare finance leaders don't need a PhD or a crystal ball to predict the future.(FEATURE STORY)
April 1, 2008... A sea captain would not try to sail the Atlantic on a cloudy day without a navigational system. Likewise, a healthcare financial manager should always use a reliable forecasting system when evaluating his or her organization's performance....

HFMA's 2008: ANI: The Healthcare Finance Conference.(ANI PREVIEW 2008)
April 1, 2008... June 23-26 Las Vegas, Nevada Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Kick Off Each Day with Inspiration Before you attend your breakout sessions and other conference events, begin your day listening to one of the world-class keynote speakers...

Simplified claims cost calculator.(hfm TOOLBOX)
April 1, 2008... The cost of collection may be the single largest issue facing the U.S. healthcare system. Healthcare financial executives are driven to know and understand the cost to deliver health care and develop strategies to reduce the cost of collection....

When it's time to say goodbye: at the start of 2008, I made a major career decision.(LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT)(Column)
April 1, 2008... I left the longest-lasting job on my resume (nine years). Previously, I had changed jobs for the usual reasons-promotion, greater income, opportunity with an organization I wanted to be a part of, change of geography, a merger or acquisition...

What would you do? Is it too late to develop a comprehensive community hospital cardiovascular program?(STRATEGY CHALLENGE)
April 1, 2008... The Problem Leadership at Southeast Community Hospital believes that its basic cardiovascular services should be expanded into a comprehensive cardiovascular program. The new management team has made this initiative its No. 1 priority for...

National events.(CALENDAR)(Calendar)
April 1, 2008... May 6 An Exclusive Event for Critical Access Hospitals Creating a Successful Compliance Program: Billing and Cost Reporting Strategies Working Together Seattle This special one-day program will help you develop a deeper...

Harris W. Brooks.(PEOPLE)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Brooks has been named CEO, Palo Pinto General Hospital, Mineral Wells, Texas. He had been COO for the hospital.

Mary Ann Brown.(PEOPLE)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Brown has been promoted from director of finance to vice president, finance, and CFO, St. Mary's Medical Center, Huntington, W. Va.

Todd Campbell, CPA.(PEOPLE)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Campbell has been promoted from vice president, finance, to senior vice president and COO, St. Mary's Medical Center, Huntington, W. Va.

Scott I. Raberge, CPAT, CCAE.(PEOPLE)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Raberge has been promoted from vice president, sales and marketing, to senior vice president, sales and marketing, Professional Finance Company, Greeley, Colo.

Rick Rider.(PEOPLE)(Finance Company)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Rider has joined Professional Finance Company, Greeley, Colo., as vice president, business development. He had been vice president, business development, KGA Financial Services, Geneva, Ill.

Kevin W. Barron, FHFMA, FACHE.(PEOPLE)
April 1, 2008... Barron has been appointed vice president, Physician Services, West Tennessee Healthcare, Jackson, Tenn. He had been executive director, Physician Services and Managed Healthcare, Jackson, Tenn.

Marc A. Baur.(PEOPLE)(Preferred Medical Marketing Corporation)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Baur has been appointed regional vice president, sales, Preferred Medical Marketing Corporation, Charlotte, N.C. He had been regional director of operations, AIM Healthcare Services, Inc., Franklin, Tenn.

Lewis D. Bivona, Jr., CPA, AFE.(PEOPLE)
April 1, 2008... Bivona has been named principal, Withum, Smith & Brown, Princeton, N.J. He had been senior manager, Amper, Politziner & Mattia, Edison, N.J.

Jill Buathier.(PEOPLE)(Stanford Hospitals & Clinics)(Brief article)
April 1, 2008... Buathier has joined Stanford Hospitals & Clinics, Palo Alto, Calif., as vice president, revenue operations. Previously, she was associate vice president, revenue cycle, University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, Ohio.

J. D. Epstein, JD.(PEOPLE)
April 1, 2008... Epstein has become of counsel, Greer, Herz & Adams, LLP, Galveston, Texas. He had been partner and leader, healthcare industry practice, Vinson & Elkins, LLP, Houston.

Long-term care makes up an increasing portion of Medicare inpatient admissions.(DATA TRENDS)
April 1, 2008... A review of inpatient hospital admissions processed for Medicare beneficiaries shows that over a five-year period (CMS FY02-06), the number of admissions to long-term care facilities increased 60 percent to more than 883,000. Admissions to...

Cost imperative: "what would you do if you couldn't cost-shift? What would you do if Medicare prices were the best you could get?".(FROM THE PRESIDENT)
April 1, 2008... I often ask these questions of healthcare leaders as they debate the issues of pricing, physician integration, capital demand and access, and volume. The usual reaction to my question is one of horror. Without the cost shift, price flexibility...

Improved documentation: leveraging staff training, benchmarking, technology, and process change for accurate payment.(HFMA EDUCATIONAL REPORT)
April 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Providing adequate detail in medical records for billing may seem relatively unimportant when compared with the attention physicians must give to providing high-quality patient care. Yet this task isn't one to be...

Getting rid of bad debt blues: another option when managing receivables.(HFMA EDUCATIONAL REPORT)
April 1, 2008... Of any industry's financial operations, those of a hospital are some of the most complicated. Reimbursement rules, third-party contracts, and costing supplies and services are all part of the complex nature of the game. Yet there's one...