Bulletin Board
Bulletin Board
New Client
DeBrunner & Associates is pleased to welcome our newest client: AristaCare Health Services, a provider of post-acute rehabilitation, memory care, and long-term-care services based in Cranford, New Jersey. Welcome!
Readmissions Reduction Program Results Overstated?
A new study suggests that the encouraging results of Medicare’s hospital readmissions reduction program may not actually be as encouraging as people thought. According to a new study published in the journal Health Affairs, data on reduced readmissions may be more the result of changes in hospital coding practices than improved quality performance by hospitals. The report suggests that new industry standards for reporting were implemented at roughly the same time Medicare launched the value-based purchasing program and may account for most or even all of the reported improved performance [...]
Hospital Uncompensated Care Unchanged in 2017
Despite a modest increase in the uninsured rate, hospital uncompensated care in 2017 was $38.4 billion, essentially the same as it was in 2016 and down from the all-time high of $46.8 billion in 2013. This comes from an American Hospital Association survey that also found that in 2017, hospital admissions and inpatient days rose modestly hospital outpatient visits and surgeries increased emergency room visits declined the proportion of for-profit hospitals declined the number of rural hospitals fell Learn more in the Healthcare Dive article “Uncompensated care costs flat in [...]
Medicaid MCOs Skimping on Care?
Medicaid MCOs may be skimping on care, according to a recent Kaiser Health News report. According to Kaiser, for-profit companies that sub-contract with Medicaid managed care organizations to review requests for services often deny care to Medicaid patients to save money for the MCOs that employ them and to benefit themselves financially. The Kaiser article presents examples of companies that have been identified engaging in such practices, explains how they go about their work, and outlines the dangers to Medicaid recipients posed by such practices. Learn more in the Kaiser [...]
CMS Revamps Medicare ACO Program
The federal government seeks to pursue greater savings and an accelerated approach to value-based care through an overhaul of its programs for Medicare accountable care organizations. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ new “Pathways to Success” program seeks to speed up the process of providers assuming risk for costs and outcomes through the following changes from the agency’s current approach. A reduction in how long participating ACOs can remain in the program without assuming some responsibility for their spending. Modifications that CMS hopes will encourage physician groups to remain [...]