FEDS EXTEND COMMENT PERIOD FOR HEALTH INSURANCE TRANSPARENCY RULE
John Commins | December 30, 2019 The rule would require insurers to disclose negotiated rates for in-network providers and allowed amounts paid for out-of-network providers. CMS says the 15-day extension was needed to account for robust public feedback and the consideration of the holiday season. The proposed rule would mandate that consumers have real-time access…
CMS ELIMINATES DIRECT SUPERVISION REQUIREMENT FOR HOSPITALS
Kimberly A.H. Baker | December 27, 2019 This rule places decisions about supervision in the control of hospitals and physicians involved in patient care and will make the delivery of hospital outpatient services more efficient. This article appears in the November/December 2019 edition of HealthLeaders magazine. The level of supervision required in hospital outpatient departments…
2019 WAS A ROUGH YEAR FOR RURAL HOSPITALS
John Commins | December 26, 2019 Since 2005, 162 rural hospitals have shuttered, with 60% of the closures occurring in southern states that did not expand Medicaid enrollment. KEY TAKEAWAYS 19 rural hospitals closed in 2019, up from 15 closures in 2018, and continuing a steady double-digit trend in closures since 2013. Most hospitals closed…
National Healthcare Spending Increased to $3.6T in 2018
Jacqueline LaPointe | December 05, 2019 Higher private and Medicare coverage costs drove the 4.6% increase in national healthcare spending, while medical price growth contributed significantly, CMS actuaries report. – National healthcare spending in 2018 grew at a rate of 4.6 percent to $3.6 trillion, which translated to about $11,172 per person, the Office of…
Industry Voices—Helping hospitals prepare for new maternal health accreditation standards
Mark Simon | Dec 4, 2019 Starting in July 2020, The Joint Commission will require hospitals to meet 13 new “elements of performance” (EPs) related to maternal health as part of the accreditation requirements. It’s clear that the U.S. has a major problem in providing top-quality care for mothers. The U.S. maternal mortality rate has…