Healthcare Financial Management articles from November 2003

Healthcare Financial Management archives from November 2003

Legislation maintains FY03 standardized rates for hospitals.(Policy Watch)(Congress approves the extension of a 1.6 percent increase of the rural and 'other urban' standardized hospital payment rates through 3/31/04)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... In the closing hours of the federal fiscal year, Congress approved extension of a 1.6 percent increase of the rural and "other urban" standardized hospital payment rates through March 31, 2004. The extension was part of an amendment to H.R....

House passes mortgage insurance bill.(Policy Watch)(the U.S. House passes the Hospital Mortgage Insurance Act of 2003)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The U.S. House has passed the Hospital Mortgage Insurance Act of 2003, which the president signed on October 3. The bill gives the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) authority to provide mortgage insurance to hospitals in...

New hospice wage index cuts into FY04 payment update.(Policy Watch)(average Medicare hospice payments will increase by 0.6 percent overall for FY04)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Average Medicare hospice payments will increase by 0.6 percent overall for FY04, according to a September 30 Federal Register notice. The rates will be increased by the full market basket of 3.4 percent, as required by law, but then will be...

CMS corrects wage index for SNFs, home health agencies.(Policy Watch)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... CMS published a notice in the September 29 Federal Register correcting technical errors in the August 4 final rule updating the payment rates under the PPS for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). The notice addresses computational errors in the...

Court upholds therapy caps; issue left to Congress.(Policy Watch)(a federal district court ruling upholds caps on Medicare-covered physical, speech, and occupational therapy)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... A September 29 court decision by the federal district court of the District of Columbia upheld caps on Medicare-covered physical, speech, and occupational therapy, which went into effect September 1, 2003. A suit to stop implementation of the...

... The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) is researching how governmental organizations report fund balance and net assets in their financial statements.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... "... The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) is researching how governmental organizations report fund balance and net assets in their financial statements. The information gathered would be used in the GASB's project to consider...

... Providers of mental health services under the TRICARE program will see a 3.4 percent increase in their per diem payment rates in FY04, the Department of Defense (DOD) announced in a September 29 Federal Register notice.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... "... Providers of mental health services under the TRICARE program will see a 3.4 percent increase in their per diem payment rates in FY04, the Department of Defense (DOD) announced in a September 29 Federal Register notice. Per diem rates...

GAO recommends expanding CAH program.(Policy Watch)(the GAO reports that Congress should expand the critical access hospital program to include additional hospitals)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Congress should expand the critical access hospital (CAH) program to include hospitals with rehabilitation or other distinct part units (DPUs) and higher patient census, according to a recent GAO report. The report states that the patient...

In another rural healthcare-related report, the GAO recommended that CMS adjust rural ambulance payment rates for ground ambulance services to better account for their cost per trip.(Policy Watch)
November 1, 2003... In another rural healthcare-related report, the GAO recommended that CMS adjust rural ambulance payment rates for ground ambulance services to better account for their cost per trip. The GAO states that per-trip volume is a better indicator of...

... The HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) has posted its FY04 Work Plan on its web site.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... ... The HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) has posted its FY04 Work Plan on its web site. The plan encompasses the usual array of tasks, including development and monitoring of corporate integrity agreements for certain providers that have...

... The National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) edits for October 1, 2003, to December 31, 2003, have been posted on the CMS web site.
November 1, 2003... ... The National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) edits for October 1, 2003, to December 31, 2003, have been posted on the CMS web site. The NCCI edits can be found on the Physicians and Medlearn web pages, at...

Blue plans to implement HIPAA contingency plan.(Policy Watch)(each of the 42 Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans will continue to accept existing claim formats in addition to HIPAA-Compliant transactions)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... To ease the transition to the new HIPAA transaction and code sets regulation, each of the 42 Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans will continue to accept existing claim formats, in addition to HIPAA--Compliant transactions, under a contingency...

CMS clarifies billing for outpatient renal services.(Policy Watch)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Hospital-based renal disease facilities (RDFs) should stop billing Part B outpatient renal services using the hospital provider number. Rather, hospitals should bill these services on CMS-1450 billing form, using the RDF provider numbers in the...

Final feeding assistants rule may give workforce shortage relief.(Policy Watch)(long-term care facilities can use paid feeding assistants to supplement the services provided by certified nurse aides under certain conditions)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Long-term care facilities are permitted to use paid feeding assistants to supplement the services provided by certified nurse aides under certain conditions, according to a final rule published by CMS in the September 26 Federal Register. ...

States fight ongoing battle to contain Medicaid costs: since October 2001, state lawmakers have been presented with a proverbial "perfect storm.".(State Policy Watch)
November 1, 2003... The downturn in the nation's economy and resulting drastic decline in state revenues have collided with an explosion in healthcare costs. As a result, managing the overall costs of Medicaid, second only to education, has become a serious...

Growing with HFMA: "HFMA is my evolution of personal growth and friendship.".(From The Chairman)
November 1, 2003... So says Gail Holt, FHFMA, CFO at Memorial Hospital, Chester, Ill., and a member of HFMA's Southern Illinois Chapter. As a long-time member, Gall has been actively involved in HFMA as a volunteer, as a leader, and as a friend. Involvement in...

Census reports foretell rise in bad debt, charity care.(Industry Watch)
November 1, 2003... Two new reports from the U.S. Census Bureau suggest that providers should ensure that their self-payment procedures and bad debt and charity-care policies are in good order. First, the Census Bureau reports that the uninsured U.S....

HIAA, AAHP boards vote to merge.(Industry Watch)(the Health Insurance Association of America, the American Association of Health Plans)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The Health Insurance Association of America (HIAA) and the American Association of Health Plans (AAHP) have agreed to merge as a result of votes by the organizations' boards of directors. The combined organizations represent health plans...

Study: physicians decline on-call duties to reduce liability rates.(Industry Watch)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Many physicians are declining on-call duties and referring their patients to emergency departments as a result of the rising cost of medical malpractice insurance, according to a study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC). The...

HHS releases $26.6 million for bioterrorism training and education.(Industry Watch)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... HHS has released $26.6 million in grants across 23 states to strengthen bioterrorism training and education for health professionals. The grants, administered under the Health Resources and Services Administration's Bioterrorism Training and...

Survey shows high HIPAA awareness among Family Physicians.(Industry Watch)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Over 94 percent (1,200 members) of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) said that they were aware of the October 16 deadline for the filing of electronic claims, and at least 88 percent would file electronic claims after October 16,...

AHRQ quantifies consequences of injuries during hospitalization.(Industry Watch)(a study from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The costs of medical injuries during hospitalization are highly variable, but such injuries typically resulted in longer hospital stays, higher costs, and a higher number of deaths in 2000, according to a study from the Agency for Healthcare...

U.S. population without health insurance, 1988-2002.(Industry Watch)
November 1, 2003... [GRAPHICS OMITTED]

Employers embrace disease management to control costs.(Industry Watch)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Many employers and health plans are paying extra attention to patients with chronic conditions and costly, complicated illnesses, according to a Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) study released on October 8. Aiming to control...

Health insurance markets dominated by fewer, larger insurers.(Industry Watch)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... HMOs continue to dominate the group insurance market, but Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) plans are gaining market share, according to a report recently released by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's State Coverage Initiatives program. BCBS...

Quotes of note.(Industry Watch)
November 1, 2003... "The fiscal crisis facing states is far worse than the condition of the nation's economy." --Donald J. Boyd, director of fiscal studies at the Rockefeller Institute of Government, on the continuing Medicaid budget crisis facing several...

Employer-sponsored health coverage on the decline.(Industry Watch)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The proportion of employees covered by employer-sponsored medical care plans has fallen gradually over the past decade, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BSL) reported September 17, According to the BLS National Compensation Survey, in March...

Robert M. Shelton, past president of HFMA, passes away.(HFMA News)(Obituary)
November 1, 2003... Robert M. Shelton, FHFMA, CAE, past president of HFMA, passed away on September 22, 2003, at age 85. Shelton had suffered a stroke in May. During Shelton's 25 years of service, HFMA grew from a small group of hospital accountants into a...

Will to speak at HFMA Region 11 Healthcare Symposium.(HFMA News)(George Will makes an appearance at the HFMA Region 11 Healthcare Symposium)
November 1, 2003... George Will, a Pulitzer-Prize winning columnist and Newsweek essayist, will deliver this year's keynote address at the HFMA Region 11 Healthcare Symposium January 25 -28, 2004, in Las Vegas. Will's presentation will feature a commentary on the...

CMS honors Prink for outstanding service.(HFMA News)(Hal Prink is honored for his outstanding service to Medicare beneficiaries around Denver)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... CMS recently honored Hal Prink, FHFMA, president elect of HFMA's Colorado Chapter, for his outstanding service to Medicare beneficiaries in the Denver area. Prink was among the award winners from across the country presented with the...

Resource highlights OIG proposed rule on excessive claims.(HFMA News)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The OIG published in the September 15, 2003, Federal Register a proposed rule that would amend 42 CFR [section] 1001.701, the OIG exclusion regulations addressing excessive claims, by including definitions for the terms "substantially in...

Presentation offers labor cost solutions.(HFMA News)(for the health care industry)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Labor costs are the single largest cost category in hospitals and health systems, and controlling labor costs is no easy task. To help financial managers learn how to manage agency costs, reduce unnecessary labor costs, and improve labor cost...

Medicare: the end of an era?(Eye On Washington)
November 1, 2003... As this is being written, virtually every healthcare lobbyist in Washington has made his or her way to "Gucci Gulch" the hallway outside the House Ways and Means committee room, so-named because of the expensive leather shoes that are worn by...

Partnering with IT to meet tough times head-on.(Executive Insights)(the health care industry's use of technology)(Industry Overview)
November 1, 2003... A working partnership between a health system's finance and information technology departments can be of significant benefit when the system is up against low government payments and other financial challenges. At Palmetto Health, Columbia,...

Tapping into hidden hospital bed capacity.(Business)
November 1, 2003... The need to increase capacity to meet growing service demand may seem like a good problem for hospitals to have, but costly approaches to expanding capacity--more space, beds, caregivers, and technology-threaten to undermine the anticipated...

GME: at what cost?(Medicare/Medicaid)(graduate medical education)
November 1, 2003... If a cattle-ranch cost accountant can determine how much of the cost of raising a cow (food, shelter, etc.) is in the steak and how much is in the leather belt, then why can't current hospital cost-accounting principles allow hospital cost...

How are hospitals financing the future? Access to capital in health care today.(Report 1 Executive Summary)
November 1, 2003... From growth in patient volume to aging plants, from technological innovations to desire for competitive advantage, hospitals' demand for capital is more acute than ever. And that demand will only intensify. Yet, a challenging financial climate...

Seeking shelter from rising malpractice costs: with malpractice insurance costs skyrocketing, government, provider groups, insurers, and others struggle to find solutions.
November 1, 2003... Through the front glass of the locked '96 Toyota Tercel, Mark Macumber, MD, could see his keys trapped inside. It was the first time he had ever made this mistake, and even though most of us would be happy with such a track record, for him, the...

Inside-out, bottom-up healthcare reform: as the healthcare system continues to be eroded by escalating costs, any successful reform effort depends on the leadership of providers.(Commentary)
November 1, 2003... As healthcare costs dominate our local, state, and national agendas, there can be no doubt we are approaching another crisis in health care. Health care is a $1.57a trillion industry today, with the potential to double that amount every five...

Six sigma can meet your revenue-cycle needs: Six Sigma is far from being the latest quality-improvement fad; it is a proven technique grounded in principles that will endure as long as there are processes that require improvement.(Feature Story)
November 1, 2003... You hear about Six Sigma a lot these days. It is often touted as one of the most powerful tools for achieving significant quality improvement. But it seems so many of the quality improvement methods we have seen in the healthcare industry prove...

A balanced perspective: using nonfinancial measures to assess financial performance: in an ongoing evaluation of your organization's financial condition, nonfinancial measures may be more telling than traditional financial measures.(Feature Story)(Illustration)
November 1, 2003... What role do nonfinancial measures play in assessing your organization's financial performance? If you are using a balanced scorecard to track your organization's financial performance, what nonfinancial measures do you consider, if any? ...

Design for success: efficiency and effectiveness through facility design.(Special Advertising Section)
November 1, 2003... Construction cranes silhouette the land scape of healthcare campuses nationwide. as stagnant spending on healthcare facilities is beginning what is expected m be a major ascent. Spending for hospital and long-term care facility construction...

Hey, you--look at me!(Leadership And Management)(Excerpt)
November 1, 2003... A true leader exhibits professionalism in everything he or she does. When a healthcare financial manager is seeking a new position, his or her professionalism and leadership abilities are on prominent display within the current organization, to...

Leveraging HIPAA to improve IT planning.(Digital Perspectives)(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996)(information technology)
November 1, 2003... Although we wish that HIPAA were behind us, it's not. In fact, HIPAA may actually be the valuable impetus needed to focus health care on a solid information technology (IT) plan for the future. HIPAA's stated goal is to promote use of...

iPods, business ethics, and sleeping well at night.(Treasury Management)
November 1, 2003... My teenage son came to me, digital music player in hand, with the question, "Do you think Apple would replace this old iPod with a newer model if I sent it back broken?" We discussed his question. Then I suggested an answer to the bigger...

The Health Care Cure!(Brief Article)(Book Review)
November 1, 2003... R.E. Biedermann, D.O. Hats Off Books Tucson, Arizona, 2002 298 pages, $20.95 The Health Care Cure! offers a personal and, at times, very opinionated view of the woes of the U.S. healthcare system and the way to "cure" them. The overall...

Building and Implementing Physician Practice Web Sites.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
November 1, 2003... Michael A. Rothschild, M.D. AMA Press, Chicago 2001 133 pages, $50 The focus of Building and Implementing Physician Practice Web Sites is to provide practical information for creating a web site for a physician practice, without the need...

Calendar.(Financial management)(Calendar)
November 1, 2003... Level Seminar 11/17-20 12/8-11 Phoenix Chicago Financial Management/Reimbursement 2 Using Activity-Based Information ...

Allina Hospitals and Clinics.(People)(Ian Oliver Young named marketing research analyst)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Ian Oliver Young (Minnesota Chapter) Mr. Young has been named marketing research analyst, Allina Hospitals and Clinics, Roseville, Minn. He had been financial analyst. Allina Hospitals and Clinics, Mercy and Unity Hospitals, Coon Rapids,...

Lubaway, Masten & Company.(People)(Barbara Kootsillas)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Barbara Kootsillas (Eastern Michigan Chapter) Ms. Kootsillas has been named healthcare consultant, Lubaway, Masten & Company, Novi, Mich. She had been senior reimbursement analyst, Trinity Health, Revenue Management Department, Novi, Mich.

Crossroads Regional Medical Center.(People)(Kacia Allen)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Kacia Allen (Mississippi Chapter) Ms. Allen has been appointed director of bustness office, Crossroads Regional Medical Center, Wentzville, Me. Formerly, she was corporate director of patient financial services, interim CFO, Alliance...

Gustafson & Associates, Inc.(People)(Christina M. Rizzo)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Christina M, Rizzo (Northwest Ohio Chapter) Ms. Rizzo has been promoted from senior consultant and facilitator of consulting services, to chief operating and financial officer. Gustafson & Associates, Inc., Port Washington, Wis.

Revenue Cycle Solutions, Inc.(People)(Michael Edwards has founded Revenue Cycle Solutions Inc.)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Michael Edwards (Indiana Pressler Memorial Chapter) Mr. Edwards has founded Revenue Cycle Solutions, Inc., lebanon, Ind., and serves as its president. Previously, he was revenue cycle site executive, Siemens Health Services at The Heart...

Marshall Regional Medical Center.(People)(Morgan Hay )(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Morgan Hay, FHFMA, CPA (South Texas Chapter) Mr. Hay has been appointed vice president. CFO, Marshall Regional Medical Center, Marshall, Tex. Formerly, he was vice president, finance. Valley Baptist Medical Center, Harlingen. Tex.

Provena St. Mary's Hospital.(People)(Kankadee Illinois hospital appoints Deborah A. Archer)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Deborah A. Archer, CPA (McMahon-Illini Chapter) Ms. Archer has been appointed reimbursement manager, Provena St. Mary's Hospital, Kankakee, III. Formerly, she was reimbursement specialist, decision support, BroMenn Hospital, Bloomington....

Saint Francis Health System.(People)(Renee Edwards)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Renee Edwards (Oklahoma Chapter) Ms. Edwards has been appointed health system director, patient financial services, Saint Francis Health System, Tulsa, Okla, She had been corporate director, patient financial services, Integris Health,...

Child Health Corporation of America.(People)(Karla McGaugh)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Karla McGaugh (Heart of America Chapter) Ms. McGaugh has been promoted from senior analyst to manager, business services, Child Health Corporation of America, Shawnee Mission, Kans.

Fountain View, Inc.(People)(Ronald Raglin)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Ronald Raglin (Nevada Chapter) Mr. Raglin has joined Fountain View, Inc., Foothill Ranch, Calif., as director of reimbursement. Previously, he was manager of budget and reimbursement. Saint Mary's Health Network, Reno, Nev.

Children's Specialized Hospital.(People)(Lisa Steinerd)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Lisa Steinerd (New Jersey Chapter) Ms. Steinerd has been named director of patient access services. Children's Specialized Hospital, Mountainside, N.J. She had been coordinator of patient access services, Chilton Memorial Hospital, Pompton...

St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital.(People)(Edward DeJesus appointed manager of reimbursement)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Edward DeJesus (Metropolitan New York Chapter) Mr. DeJesus has been appointed manager of reimbursement, St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital Newburgh, N.Y. He had been manager of reimbursement, Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center, Bronx, N.Y.

Hospital long-term debt per bed increases in 2002.(Data Trends)
November 1, 2003... Debt for the nation's hospitals appears to be on the rise. Between the first and fourth quarters of 2002, U.S. hospitals, on average, saw an increase in long-term debt per bed of nearly 8 percent. And for hospitals operating at the 75th...

Customized Fee Analyzer.(HFM Book Mart)
November 1, 2003... Customized Fee Analyzer provides relative and actual charge data for your geographic area and physician specialty. Reference this information to establish a more competitive fee schedule. Reg. Price $299.95 (One Specialty) HFMA members...

Complete Guide to APCs.(HFM Book Mart)
November 1, 2003... More than 50 new APC groups for 2003 plus new codes tot observation, clinical trials, and radiological guidance. Major APC reassignments for drugs and devices, new payment amounts for all services and even higher outlier thresholds for 2003....

Almanac of Hospital Financial & Operating Indicators.(HFM Book Mart)
November 1, 2003... Identify your facility's strengths and weaknesses by comparing your hospital's data to state and national benchmarks, as well as industry benchmarks. Reference over 2,000 independently collected hospital financial statements and 6,000 U.S....

Medicare Billing Compliance Guide.(HFM Book Mart)
November 1, 2003... The Medicare Billing Compliance Guide is a clear and concise resource that will help you and your staff understand Medicare inpatient and outpatient billing and coding issues. * Easy-to-understand Interpretations of Medicare Billing Rules,...

The Essential RBRVS.(HFM Book Mart)
November 1, 2003... The Essential RBRVS provides all codes valued by CMS, as well as values for the 3,000+ codes not valued for Medicare. Maintain one relative value scale for both Medicare and commercial claims. Reg. Price $199.95 HFMA members receive a...

Hospital Chargemaster Guide.(HFM Book Mart)
November 1, 2003... This one-of-a-kind manual provides step-by-step guidance and coding information necessary for maintaining an accurate hospital chargemaster from a coding, billing, and reimbursement perspective. Reg. Price $199.95 HFMA members receive...

Accordis.(hfm Product/Service Mart)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Accordis delivers business office and reimbursement services to public and private hospitals nationwide. We offer proprietary technology, expertise in payor programs, and patient accounting know-how. Accordis helps hospitals increase revenue,...

Progressive Healthcare, Inc.(hfm Product/Service Mart)
November 1, 2003... Progressive Healthcare provides healthcare facilities/providers with revenue cycle and physician practice consulting services. We customize our approach and develop specific performance targets for each client. Our services include: ...

Anthem Consulting Group, Inc.(hfm Product/Service Mart)
November 1, 2003... Aggravated by information Technology Poor Performance? * Late Project Delivery * Recurring Downtime * Unsatisfied Users * Poor Accountability * Loss of Confidence * Little Value Added We Diagnose and Fix sick IT...

Med-Data Management, Inc.(hfm Product/Service Mart)(software solutions)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Software and consulting solutions that impact your bottom line: Software: PostLink "Remittance Management: * APC Payment Manager * Interactive Claims Denial Manager * CMG Payment Manager * Outlier Payment Manager ...

Smyth Solutions.(hfm Product/Service Mart)(finance management)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... The difference between success and failure is how the Healthcare Revenue Cycle is managed. We understand it, and it is our specialty. Executive and Management Recruitment * Revenue Cycle * Finance * Operations Whether it...

Reliable Medical Necessity content from Info-X.(hfm Product/Service Mart)
November 1, 2003... Info-X's integrated Medical Necessity solutions help hundreds of hospitals reduce claim denials, ensure regulatory compliance and achieve dramatic bottom-line improvement Healthcare software vendors, service organizations and physician groups...

Kreg Information Systems: accurate APC reimbursement & analysis.(hfm Product/Service Mart)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Kreg Information Systems provides a comprehensive solution for accurately calculating Medicare OPPS reimbursement. Kreg's comprehensive solution will protect reimbursement from your largest, and growing, line of business. Our solution combines...

Precyse Solutions--one stop for all HIM service needs.(hfm Product/Service Mart)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2003... Need help in improving cash flows because of never ending transcription and coding backlogs? We can help. Want to reduce operating expenses and streamline paper flow processes? Highly trained consultants and staff will implement solutions...

White coat hope: in mid-September, I attended my daughter's "white coat" ceremony at the University of Chicago. I was very proud. I also was struck by the tone and the message of the proceedings.(From The President)
November 1, 2003... The "white coat" ceremony, which was started at the University of Chicago and is now a standard among U.S. medical schools, is designed to welcome each new class of medical students into the profession. At the end of the program, each student...