In November 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that requires that hospitals, healthcare providers and insurance companies openly disclose prices to patients. A federal judge backed this final rule, with an implementation date set for January 1, 2021. Although the date is quickly approaching, most hospitals need to [...]
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that telehealth reimbursement rates will be reviewed and assessed after the COVID-19 pandemic to make telehealth expansion permanent. CMS Administrator Seema Verma stated in a blog post that telehealth services that were expanded and implemented during the pandemic may be made permanent. In order to make [...]
Due to massive job losses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges could be adding over 1 million new enrollees. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused job losses across the country, with about 10% unemployment rates in almost all states, causing people to lose their health insurance coverage through their employer and [...]
Last Thursday, the Trump Administration filed a legal brief to ask the Supreme Court to invalidate the Affordable Care Act. The ACA was enacted during Obama's Administration and is still standing in effect. The legal brief is subjecting the ACA to legal challenge, with the Trump Administration stating that the law's individual coverage mandate are [...]
During this current COVID-19 pandemic, physician practices across the country are experiencing significant challenges that have sprung up quickly. Significant financial challenges have burdened many practices, with most reporting significant financial impacts on revenue and in patient volume. These financial struggles have forced many physician practices to go to drastic measures and layoff or furlough [...]
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released on Sunday a set of guidelines on how hospitals are allowed to reopen for non-emergent non-COVID-19 healthcare amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The guidelines show how hospitals can offer services for patients while at the same time being open to treating patients with COVID-19. To slowly transition [...]
In a survey from the National Association of ACOs, fifty six percent of risk-bearing ACOs stated that they are likely to drop out of the Medicare shared savings program. Most of these ACOs that are taking on downside risks are concerned that they may bear financial losses, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One concern that [...]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved funding to healthcare providers via the expansion of the Accelerated and Advance Payment Program. The funding totals near $34 billion and is given to the healthcare providers directly working with those affected by the 2019 Novel Coronavirus. The CMS Accelerated and Advance Payment Program is [...]
On Wednesday, the Senate passes a stimulus deal that would aid healthcare systems across the United States. The $2 trillion stimulus deal will include $100 billion to compensate for lost revenue and other expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The stimulus deal is a response to many providers who have reached out for assistance, specifically [...]
Two agencies from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the final rules for interoperability and information-blocking proposals. Interoperability, which means the ability of health information systems to work together within and across organizational boundaries in order to advance the effective delivery of healthcare, has been a main topic in the healthcare [...]