AMA survey shows more doctors embracing telehealth
Ron Shinkman | Feb. 7, 2020 Dive Brief: • Telehealth and remote monitoring are becoming significant forces in healthcare delivery, according to a new survey of 1,300 primary care and specialty physicians released Thursday by the American Medical Association. • The number of physicians who use telehealth for visiting with patients has doubled between 2016…
Costs of prior authorizations increase for physician practices at an ‘alarming’ rate
Joanne Finnegan | Jan 22, 2020 A new report found providers on average spend almost $11 per transaction to conduct a prior authorization manually versus $1.88 for an electronic transaction. The cost of prior authorization requirements on physician practices has continued to increase—up 60% in 2019 to manually generate a request to insurers. The just…
Analysis finds shoppable hospital services at center of transparency rule a small part of employer plan spending
Robert King | Jan 17, 2020 Medical bill healthcare cost price patient spending A new analysis found that spending for shoppable hospital services, which are the subject of a new transparency rule, made up a small amount of Medicare spending in 2017. The shoppable healthcare services that are the subject of the Trump administration’s controversial…
MedPAC proposes 3.3% boost in hospital payments in 2021, with some going to quality programs
Robert King | Jan 16, 2020 A key Medicare advisory board wants to give acute care hospitals a 3.3% raise in Medicare payments next year but shift 1.3% of it to quality programs. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission voted unanimously on Thursday to make the recommendation to Congress as part of its March report. The…
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…