Provider-sponsored health plans can be naturally aligned with value-based care goals while also being attuned to providers’ needs. Providence Health Assurance’s Medicare Advantage provider-sponsored health plan received a five-star rating through the CMS Medicare Advantage Star Ratings system for the 2022 Medicare open enrollment season. The health plan, which serves Oregon and Washington State, is […]
Improving the customer experience is no longer an idea that’s relegated to the retail or hospitality industries. Now, the idea has gained traction across many industries, including healthcare. For health plans, improving the customer experience and providing member-centric care helps drive member acquisition and retention and improve reimbursement (via a better STARS rating). With so […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) takes effect on Oct. 1. When the reform takes effect, long-term post-acute care (LTPAC) facilities will see a big change in how they receive payment for delivering valuable patient care. While the payment reform will inevitably bring challenges, it will also present a significant […]
Building alternative revenue streams source will play a bigger role in healthcare providers’ strategies, according to a new study. Ninety percent of hospital and health system executives surveyed indicated that new revenue streams were an urgent priority expected to yield a return in the next three years, a new study from Boston-based Partners Health Care […]
The entrepreneurs behind Sift Healthcare are using predictive analytics (AI) to crack the code on unpaid medical bills, helping health facilities work smarter when managing budgets. Last month, Alabama’s Georgiana Medical Center closed its doors, making it the 13th Alabama hospital to close in eight years. Seven of the 13 shuttered hospitals served rural communities. In […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a policy change modification to the claims processing logic for Modifier 59 Distinct procedural service (and the optional patient-relationship modifiers XE, XS, XP, and XU) on February 15, 2019. These modifiers are only processed when applied to the Column 2 code in a bundled pair, per Correct Coding Initiative […]
A frequent knock on electronic health records has been that they’re just glorified billing systems that fail to provide enough clinical functionality to make a significant difference in quality of care. So it’s somewhat incongruous that a recent Black Book report on revenue cycle management (RCM) system adoption would say that 26 percent of hospitals […]
Cryptocurrency benefits medical billing services, and in turn healthcare staff and patients, in so many ways. Here’s what to know A cryptocurrency is a decentralized virtual or digital currency that’s used as a medium of exchange for using particular products/services. It is like normal currencies but it also facilitates the exchange of digital information. Counterfeiting cryptocurrency is difficult […]
Controversy continues to swirl around this subject. A recent article of mine focused on the argument that Medicare Advantage (MA) plans have to follow the two-midnight rule. It certainly generated buzz; I received a number of emails with comments and questions. First, I want to note that I love getting comments and questions. I can’t […]
Undercoding, or reporting a lesser service than was performed and documented, is sometimes employed as a defensive strategy to stave off claims denials or audits. But, undercoding can make a provider an outlier, and may create consequential patient care, compliance, and financial liabilities. For example: Undercoding Leaves Money On The Table, Driving Down Provider […]