Summary of Key Items for CMS 2022 IPPS Final Rule
CMS released its final Inpatient Prospective Payment System rule on August 2nd. The rule increases Medicare payment rates for acute care hospitals and removes some price transparency requirements. The rule also applies to discharges occurring on or after Oct. 1....
Amazon Alexa Protected Health Information (PHI)
A recent legal article highlighted Amazon’s Alexa device. The article suggests that Alexa may listen and record patient’s Protected Health Information (PHI). Healthcare Workers File Complaint Against Amazon Alleging the Alexa Device Listens to Protected Information on June 30, 2021,...
Pros and Cons for Hospitals of the CY 2022 OPPS Proposed Rule
Major hospital organizations are in the process of review this 800+ proposed bill. Some of their initial reactions to this bill are below. This RevCycleIntelligence article does a nice job of summarizing the pros and cons from a hospital perspective....
The Electronic Claims Attachment Process Needs Improvement
The majority of our healthcare clients and contacts still submit claims attachments manually. One of the difficulties is the establishment of a nationwide standard for this process. This article discusses the work going on with various healthcare organizations to set...
Social Determinants of Health Are Associated with Increased Medicare Spending
This is one of the few studies regarding the cost impact of Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). I am sure most of you reading this are not surprised that the study determined a higher level of Medicare spending are associated...The Basics of Successful Value-Based Contracting
The healthcare industry is increasingly engaging in value-based contracting; here are some keys to success with these more complex payment arrangements. Right care at the right place at the right time. Whether one works in a hospital or small independent...
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) – Physician Practices Audit Issue – HIPAA Security Risk Analysis
Part B News recently highlighted findings from a recent HIPAA compliance Healthcare Industry audit review. Physician practices are not performing a security risk analysis to understand their risk areas. A security analysis is not only recommended for HIPAA compliance, but...
Post-Pandemic Safety-Net Hospitals Need Financial Assistance
Our experience working with leaders of safety-net hospitals has led us to share this recent article with you. Prior to the pandemic, these healthcare institutions were having a difficult time surviving financially. The COVID-19 pandemic has put significant strain on...
Fewer Primary Care Practices Struggling A Year After COVID-19
A recent article by RevCycleIntelligence suggests that primary care practices are starting to recover from the pandemic. However, a number of these practices saw major decreases in patient volume that impacted their revenues and required staff and cost reductions. A...