Healthcare Financial Management articles from June 2008

Healthcare Financial Management archives from June 2008

Costs of PTSD and major depression in veterans for 2 years could total $6.2 billion, says RAND study.(Mental Health Costs)
June 1, 2008... In the first analysis of its kind, researchers estimate that the societal costs of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression among returning service members for two years after deployment range from about $6,000 to more than $25,000...

The readiness is all.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... THE READINESS IS ALL: The percentage of male Vietnam veterans age 65 and older is projected to increase from 26% of the male veteran population in 1990 to more than 40% by 2017, the Department of Veterans Affairs estimates. Vietnam veterans...

Mental disorders cost society billions in unearned income, says NIMH study.(Mental Health Costs)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Major mental disorders cost the nation at least $193 billion annually in lost earnings alone, according to a new study published in the May 2008 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry. Direct costs such as medication, clinic visits,...

It has come to CMS's attention that inconsistencies exist among billing/claim processing requirements for blood services.(CMS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... It has come to CMS's attention that inconsistencies exist among billing/claim processing requirements for blood services. Medicare system maintainers have been instructed to modify blood edits to align with existing Part A and hospital Part B...

To assist the Medicare community with the transition of workload from legacy fiscal intermediaries (FIs) and carriers to the Medicare administrative contractors (MACs), reassignment of a provider from one FI/MAC to another FI/MAC is generally frozen.(CMS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... To assist the Medicare community with the transition of workload from legacy fiscal intermediaries (FIs) and carriers to the Medicare administrative contractors (MACs), reassignment of a provider from one FI/MAC to another FI/MAC is generally...

In recent years, there have been several field actions and recalls with regard to failure of implantable cardiac defibrillators and pacemakers.(CMS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... In recent years, there have been several field actions and recalls with regard to failure of implantable cardiac defibrillators and pacemakers. In many of these cases, the manufacturers have offered replacement devices without cost to the...

District of admission?(NEWS WATCH)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... DISTRICT OF ADMISSION? The District of Columbia leads the nation in hospital admissions, at 241 per 1,000 residents, according to the March 2008 HealthLeaders Media Fact File. Alaska has the fewest, at 77.

We have seen the future, and it is US.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... WE HAVE SEEN THE FUTURE, AND IT IS US: Only 7,100 physicians are now certified in geriatrics-one for every 2,500 Americans over age 65. By 2030, the likely number will fall far short of the 36,000 specialists needed, according to the AARP...

Healthcare providers sue California over cuts in Medi-Cal payments.(State Watch)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... A coalition of healthcare providers on May 5 filed a lawsuit against the state of California to prevent a planned 10 percent cut in Medi-Cal and Denti-Cal payments from taking effect on July 1. In February, the California legislature...

The annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals were updated in a final rule published by CMS (Federal Register, May 9, 2008).(FEDERAL REGISTER)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... The annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals were updated in a final rule published toy CMS (Federal Register, May 9, 2008). The agency also...

CMS is proposing (Federal Register, May 7, 2008) to update the payment rates used under the PPS for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) for FY09.(FEDERAL REGISTER)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... CMS is proposing (Federal Register, May 7, 2008) to update the payment rates used under the PPS for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) for FY09. In addition, the agency would recalibrate the case mix indexes so they more accurately reflect...

Got calcium?(NEWS WATCH)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... GOT CALCIUM? By 2030, the number of hip fractures per year among baby boomers is projected to be 423,000, up from 87,000 in 2010, according to the American Hospital Association. Also, by 2010, the number of nonfatal falls per year among boomers...

Under a proposed rule (Federal Register, April 30, 2008), CMS would revise the Medicare hospital inpatient PPS (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs to implement changes arising from its continuing experience with these systems.(FEDERAL REGISTER)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Under a proposed rule (Federal Register, April 30, 2008), CMS would revise the Medicare hospital inpatient PPS (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs to implement changes arising from its continuing experience with these systems. ...

Catch me if you can.(NEWS WATCH)
June 1, 2008... CATCH ME IF YOU CAN: Massachusetts leads the states in e-prescribing, with a rate of 13%, according to the April 2008 issue of the Healthcare Industry News Summary.

House approves legislation delaying new Medicaid regulations.(Quick Hits: Top News Stories of the Month)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Despite a veto threat from the White House, the House on April 23 voted 349-62 to block the Bush administration from cutting federal spending on Medicaid by $13 billion over the next five years. The vote approves legislation that would delay...

Medicaid cuts will affect emergency preparedness: testimony.(Quick Hits: Top News Stories of the Month)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... In testimony before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, five hospital leaders presented material demonstrating that the proposed cuts to Medicaid would cause the nation's trauma centers to "go under" if they took effect. The...

SCHIP directive violates Congressional Review Act: analysis.(Quick Hits: Top News Stories of the Month)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Sens. John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV (D-W.V.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) on April 18 released legal opinions from the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office and Congressional Research Service, both of which indicate that the Aug. 17, 2007,...

One in four uninsured eligible for public insurance but not enrolled.(Quick Hits: Top News Stories of the Month)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... One in four people who lack health coverage in the United States are eligible for public insurance programs but are not enrolled due to barriers that make it difficult, says a new report released April 29 by the National Institute for Health...

Cost of insurance far outpaces income, says report.(Quick Hits: Top News Stories of the Month)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Americans who get health insurance for their families through their jobs have seen their premiums increase 10 times faster than their income in recent years, according to a new analysis of government data. The study, released April 29 by the...

Health savings accounts used mainly by wealthy Americans: GAO.(Quick Hits: Top News Stories of the Month)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... A Government Accountability Office brief released on April 30 reports that health savings accounts are used more often as a tax shelter by wealthy individuals rather than as a mechanism to help working families obtain needed health care.

Big wheels keep on turning.(Member Spotlight)
June 1, 2008... This summer, Don Stone will be taking his Harley-Davidson on the road in honor of those who have fought for our country. Don Stone's love of motorcycle riding is more than a hobby. It's also a show of patriotism. Stone, CPA,...

Overheard.(ETCETERA)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... "Our state scorecard on health system performance found that we could save thousands of lives and billions of dollars if all states could achieve the level of the top performers on key indicators of health outcomes, quality, access, efficiency,...

Video games: good for your health?(Strange, but True)
June 1, 2008... The latest trends in videogaming could promote fitness, enhance rehabilitation in arm amputees, and reduce stress in children who visit the emergency department (ED) for treatment. During the "Games for Health" national conference in...

The changing role of IT in healthcare.(20 Years Ago Today)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... The cover article in the June 1988 issue of hfm, "Information Management: Emergence of a New Deal," dealt with the emerging IT needs of healthcare organizations and the ways in which managers' roles and responsibilities were beginning to change...

What's new on our web site.(ETCETERA)
June 1, 2008... The following documents are located in the Resource Library (www.hfma.org/library) unless otherwise noted. HFMA'S 2008 Supply Chain Survey: Methodology, Analysis, and More-A PowerPoint Presentation. See "Accounting/Finance," then "Cost...

Making connections: my son, Scott, made friend with a computer engineer in Poland because of a connection on the Internet.(FROM THE CHAIRMAN)
June 1, 2008... They're not just cyber-pals. Scott tells me, "Dad, I know what he looks like. I know what his kids look like." They're not face to face, but they have a powerful connection. From eBay to YouTube to MySpace and beyond, we live in a world of...

James Carville and Mary Matalin make your voices heard in Washington.(hfm Q & A)(Interview)
June 1, 2008... Healthcare reform is again on the political front burner, and all of the presidential candidates are offering a health reform plan. The presidential election this year is too close to call, says James Carville. But the top issue is economics,...

Digging in: the pitch came in hard, but high and inside--up around my son's eyes.(FROM THE EDITOR)(Editorial)
June 1, 2008... He hesitated a moment, then leaned back and swung in a weak chopping motion. The umpire called, "Eiiikeee," which unfortunately was easy to translate: "Strike three." Tight-lipped, my son returned to the bench. A couple of innings...

Former HFMA Chairman remembered for service to industry.(HFMA NEWS)(Healthcare Financial Management Association)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Paul M. Long, CPA, a former HFMA Chairman and the winner of a lifetime achievement award for his dedicated service to the healthcare finance industry, died May 12, 2008, in Medford, N.J. He was 72. Long, a member...

Clarke interviewed on impact of HSAs.(HFMA NEWS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HFMA President and CEO Richard L. Clarke, DHA, FHFMA, recently was interviewed by First Business, a national news program, regarding the increase in consumers who are enrolling in healthcare savings accounts (HSAS)...

HFMA's LTC goes green.(HFMA NEWS)(Conference news)
June 1, 2008... HFMA's 2008 Leadership Training Conference (LTC), held April 13-15 in San Antonio, went "green" this year, eliminating the use of paper handouts on site. For the first time, attendees were provided with jump drives two weeks in advance of the...

On fiscal wake-up tours and toothless tigers: in what seems to have become an annual exercise in fiscal futility, the Medicare trustees dutifully released their annual report in late March indicating impending fiscal disaster for Medicare.(EYE ON WASHINGTON)
June 1, 2008... And once again, the report was met with scarcely a ripple in the press and hardly more than a yawn from the public. Oh, to be sure, many of the "usual suspects" bemoaned the future fiscal stresses of the program. The fiscal "wake-up"...

Putting meaning into healthcare reform: a look at the major drivers of healthcare inflation points to 14 strategies that have the potential to dramatically curb costs.(HEALTHCARE REFORM)
June 1, 2008... Healthcare reform is again a bellwether issue for many Americans and a central topic in the presidential race. Thirty percent of voters surveyed in late 2007 named health care as an issue they would most like presidential candidates to talk...

A consumer revolution in retail medicine: where is it heading?(BUSINESS TRENDS)
June 1, 2008... You can head to a convenient medical clinic (CMC) seven days a week to have a minor ailment such as a bladder infection or strep throat treated or to get a flu or tetanus shot. If you could visit a CMC at your convenience and pay a reasonable...

Best practices for self-pay collections.(REVENUE CYCLE)
June 1, 2008... The self-pay population is not as simple as it once was. Gone are the days when accounts in this segment automatically meant "indigent" or "charity care." Today, many types of consumers are self-pay patients, including insured patients who are...

The power of connections: HFMA's 2008-09 Chairman Bob Broadway, FHFMA, believes it's vital for healthcare finance professionals to connect their knowledge with healthcare consumers--and for HFMA to connect these professionals with each other.(CHAIRMAN'S PROFILE)(Occupation overview)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] John Bigalke, FHFMA, CPA, remembers the first time he met HFMA Chairman Bob Broadway. Nearly 30 years ago, Bigalke was new to HFMA when Broadway, a fellow member of HFMA's Florida Chapter, met him at a meeting in...

The right moves for success with Medicare: the Medicare payment landscape is changing, and hospitals should be taking steps to ensure they receive appropriate payment. Here's how.
June 1, 2008... New laws and regulations, ongoing federal reforms, and payer initiatives are altering the way hospitals and physicians are paid. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has adopted Medicare severity diagnosis-related groups...

Medicare bad debts: are you losing money? With the focus on bad debt increasing, it is important to understand CMS's stance on this issue.(FEATURE STORY)(Cover story)
June 1, 2008... Two recent court decisions have focused the spotlight on Medicare bad debts. The decisions address whether it is proper to claim a bad debt while it is still at an outside collection agency (OCA) and/or whether the bad debt moratorium prevents...

MIP on the radar: the new drive to end Medicaid fraud: two years ago, CMS launched a new effort to detect and prevent Medicaid program fraud and abuse.(FEATURE STORY)(Cover story)
June 1, 2008... A significant date in the government's quest to stop Medicaid fraud may well have been July 18,2005, when The New York Times published the first installment in a series highlighting egregious examples of Medicaid providers who purportedly...

Rural hospitals: are you missing out on drug savings? The 340B Drug Pricing Program has the potential to reduce outpatient pharmaceutical costs for qualifying hospitals--but many rural hospital administrators are unaware of their organization's eligibility.(FEATURE STORY)
June 1, 2008... With hospital spending projected to increase at an annual rate of 4.8 percent for at least the next five years (Shactman, D., et al., "The Outlook for Hospital Spending: Rapid Growth Is Likely to Continue," Health Affairs, November/December...

RAC 'em up: are you prepared for the national recovery audit program? To date, healthcare organizations in only a few states have experienced the financial impact of the RAC program, but soon, the program's reach will span the United States.(FEATURE STORY)
June 1, 2008... The federal government believes that the recovery audit contractors (RAC) program, which is scheduled to go national at or before the start of 2010, will recover about $3 billion in overpayments to providers. The Centers for Medicare and...

Super CFO: hospital financial leaders soar to new leadership heights: hospital CFOs can no longer reside in financial silos. They must step forward to become strong, strategic leaders who can tackle the considerable demands of today's complex healthcare world.(FEATURE STORY)(Cover story)
June 1, 2008... Hospital CFOs have always been integral parts of the executive team. But until recently, some tended to remain on the sidelines as they kept watchful eyes on cash reserves, debt, margins, and investments; held rein on capital budgets and...

Patient registration quality assurance tools.(hfm TOOLBOX)
June 1, 2008... Are you looking for a way to improve patient registration accuracy for cleaner billing? Here are some practical tools that can help you set up or improve your manual quality assurance (QA) process to be more thorough and consistent across all...

How to partner with physicians for higher growth and quality: some healthcare finance executives assume that it's difficult to engage physicians on hospital operational and financial issues, but that's not the case.(LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT)
June 1, 2008... It is true that their eyes can glaze over when we talk about things like length of stay (LOS) at medical staff meetings. After all, what's in it for them? In reality, physicians are much like finance executives. They make decisions based...

What would you do? Is this system's smaller hospital a keeper?(STRATEGY CHALLENGE)
June 1, 2008... The Problem Suburban System has two hospitals: a medium-sized, vibrant one in the western suburbs of a major metro area, and a smaller one about 20 miles further west in a semirural but rapidly growing area. The smaller hospital's capital...

Jonathan R. Edwards.(PEOPLE)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Edwards has been promoted from chargemaster manager to patient financial services director, Good Shepherd Health Care System, Hermiston, Ore.

Carl H. Francioli, CPA.(PEOPLE)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Francioli has been promoted from senior director, finance, to vice president, finance, and CFO, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore.

Jennifer Lasher.(PEOPLE)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Lasher has been promoted from manager, clinical research operational process, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, to finance manager for the Cleveland Clinic's Heart & Vascular Institute.

Karen Lumpp, CPA.(PEOPLE)(Trinitas Hospital)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Lumpp has been appointed senior vice president and CFO, Trinitas Hospital, Elizabeth, N.J. Previously, she was director of special projects, Atlantic Health System, and director of finance, Overlook Hospital, Summit,...

Aimee C. Arata.(PEOPLE)(California Service Bureau)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Arata has joined California Service Bureau/True North AR, Novato, Calif., as vice president, product management. Formerly, she was vice president, marketing and sales, J&L Teamworks, Lodi, Calif.

Keith E. Braganza, FHFMA, CMA.(PEOPLE)(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Braganza has been appointed a member of the Provider Reimbursement Review Board, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Baltimore. He had been director, budget and reimbursement, Bon Secours Health System, Inc., Marriottsville, Md.

Karen Collins, CPC.(PEOPLE)
June 1, 2008... Collins has been promoted from certified coder to billing coordinator, ActionMed Administrative Solutions, Macon, Ga.

Maryann Freepartner.(PEOPLE)
June 1, 2008... Freepartner has been promoted from senior analyst to finance manager, Providence Seward Medical and Care Center, Seward, Alaska.

Rebecca L. Speight, FHFMA, CPA.(PEOPLE)
June 1, 2008... Speight has been promoted to CFO, Henryetta Medical Center, Henryetta, Okla. She had been controller, Oklahoma State University Medical Center, Tulsa, Okla.

New techniques needed to manage accuracy of MS-DRGs.(DATA TRENDS)
June 1, 2008... Changes to the Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) for FY08 include implementation of Medicare's new system of severity-adjusted diagnosis-related groups (MS-DRGs). In adapting to the new system, financial managers must...

A new script: good actors in a bad play. I've used this phrase before to describe the plight of healthcare financial leaders who try to navigate the dysfunctional U.S. healthcare financing and payment systems.(FROM THE PRESIDENT)
June 1, 2008... And with recent articles that appeared on the front page of The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the play's script is only getting worse. In this issue of hfm, Bill Cleverley comments on the issues raised by an April 4 WSJ article--"Nonprofit...

Make the connection at ANI 2008.
June 1, 2008... Dear Friends, On behalf of the HFMA Board of Directors and staff, welcome to ANI 2008 in Las Vegas. At ANI, you'll have the opportunity to make a number of personal and professional connections with others who share your commitment to...

Sunday and Monday events.(Calendar)
June 1, 2008... SUNDAY EVENTS NATIONAL COACHING COURSE: CORE CERTIFICATION REVIEW COURSE LAGOON I 8:30 am-4:30 pm Attaining HFMA's Certified Healthcare Financial Professional (CHFP) designation is a smart career move for anyone and Sunday's...

National coaching courses descriptions.(Calendar)
June 1, 2008... NATIONAL COACHING COURSES 8:30 AM-4:30 PM SUNDAY, JUNE 22 SUNDAY NATIONAL COACHING COURSE: CORE CERTIFICATION REVIEW COURSE 6.5 CPEs LAGOON I AFTER THIS SESSION, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO: * Know what content areas are covered...

Preconference seminar descriptions.(Calendar)
June 1, 2008... MONDAY PRECONFERENCE SEMINARS 8:00 AM-5:00 PM (PCS1) UNDERSTANDING THE MEDICARE COST REPORT 9 CPEs LAGOON I AFTER THIS SESSION, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO: * Complete the Medicare Cost Report effectively, including forms, to ensure...

Preconference workshop descriptions.(Calendar)
June 1, 2008... MONDAY, JUNE 23 PRECONFERENCE WORKSHOP 8:00-11:30 AM (PCW1) BUILDING AND LEADING TEAMS FOR MORE EFFECTIVE HEALTHCARE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT 3.5 CPEs LAGOON G AFTER THIS SESSION, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO: * Measure your team's current...

Tuesday events.(Calendar)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TUESDAY KEYNOTE ADDRESS MANDALAY BAY BALLROOM 8:00-9:30 am STEVE CASE THE CONSUMER'S ROLE IN HEALTHCARE TRANSFORMATION STEVE CASE, Chairman and CEO, Revolution Health Group and Co Founder,...

Tuesday breakout session descriptions.(Conference notes)
June 1, 2008... BREAKOUT SESSIONS 10:00-11:30 AM (A01) LEGAL UPDATE MANDALAY BAY J TOPIC AREA Compliance/Legislative/Legal AFTER THIS SESSION, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO: * Describe the latest developments in antitrust, fraud and abuse,...

Wednesday events.(Calendar)
June 1, 2008... WEDNESDAY KEYNOTE ADDRESS MANDALAY BAY BALLROOM 8:00 9:30 am [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] RICHARD J. UMBDENSTOCK HEALTHCARE POLICY IN THE ELECTION YEAR RICHARD J. UMBDENSTOCK, FACHE, President and CEO, American Hospital...

Wednesday breakout session descriptions.(Calendar)
June 1, 2008... BREAKOUT SESSIONS 10:00-11:30 AM (C01) OIG AND EMERGING RISKS: KEY INTEREST AREAS AND WHAT THEY MEAN FOR PROVIDERS LAGOON D TOPIC AREA Compliance/Legislative/Legal AFTER THIS SESSION, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO: * Define...

Thursday and Friday events.(Calendar)
June 1, 2008... THURSDAY EVENTS THURSDAY KEYNOTE ADDRESS MANDALAY BAY BALLROOM 8:00-9:30 am [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TOM PETERS THE ROAD TO EXCELLENCE IN HEALTH CARE TOM PETERS, Best-Selling Author and Business Management...

Thursday breakout session descriptions.(Calendar)
June 1, 2008... BREAKOUT SESSIONS 10:00-11:30 AM (E01) MS-DRGs: ANALYSIS OF CMI IMPACT MANDALAY BAY D TOPIC AREA Compliance/Legislative/Legal AFTER THIS SESSION, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO: * Articulate the range of CMI impact over the...

Idea exchange exhibitors list.(3M Health Information Systems-Physicians Endoscopy)(List)
June 1, 2008... Company Booth # 3M Health Information Systems 618 575 W Murray Boulevard Murray, UT 84123 801-265-4737; 800-367-2447 Fax: 801-265-4997...

Idea exchange exhibitors list.(Pinnacle Arbitrage Compliance LLC-Wright Express Corporation)(List)
June 1, 2008... Company Booth # Pinnacle Arbitrage Compliance LLC 1628 5400 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1325 Dallas, TX 75240 214-580-1230 Fax: 214-580-3400...

ANI: the Healthcare Finance conference.(HFMA'S 2008)(Calendar)
June 1, 2008... PLEASE NOTE: The days have changed at HFMA's 2008 ANI! This years ANI Opening Reception will be on Monday evening, June 23, Keynotes and breakout sessions will follow accordingly on Tuesday. June 24, Wednesday, June 25, and Thursday. June 26....

Working with health information management for revenue cycle improvement.(hfma roundtable)(Discussion)
June 1, 2008... Analyzing case mix, managing ongoing reimbursement and quality issues, and identifying technology advancements that can decrease days in accounts receivable are all key to effective revenue cycle management. Therefore, it's important to examine...