To reduce care variation, SSM and Optum will use clinical technologies, advanced analytic and data-driven insights at the point of care. Certain SSM Health revenue cycle staff and hospital care management will become employees of Optum. They will continue to work in their current locations across Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. WHY THIS MATTERS As […]
Kaufman Hall predicts hospital operating margins will fall 80% below pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2021. Projecting cash flow always has been a challenge, but now that hospitals are operating on extremely tight margins, access to accurate projections is critical. On a related note, research from Market cube and Waystar found that fewer […]
In its simplest form, revenue cycle management is the process healthcare providers use to ask for, track, and collect revenue for services rendered to patients. But as medical billing gets more complex, revenue cycle management is expanding beyond the business office. At Jackson Hospital in Montgomery, Alabama, for example, revenue cycle management also includes […]
Advanced primary care can help employers control costs and coordinate care, but many employers do not know how to start and scale such a solution in their employer-sponsored health plans, according to a report from the Duke-Margolis Center. Primary care is an essential part of preventing high-cost health conditions among employees. However, only slightly more […]
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Biden Administration have earmarked $452 million in federal funding through the ARP funding to Health insurance program for efforts to lower costs and improve health insurance access in 13 states. Due to the changes made to the ARP, states with 1332 reinsurance waivers will have more […]
A new executive order is putting consolidation in healthcare in the spotlight; industry experts share what policy and regulation will mean for provider merger and acquisition activity. Healthcare mergers and acquisitions have promised to bring lower costs, higher quality, and better access to care. But a new executive order is challenging the rapid pace […]
Our healthcare system has seen an unprecedented rise in the use of telemedicine since the onset of COVID-19. Doctors are now doing between 50 to 175 times telehealth appointments than they did prior to the pandemic, according to a recent study by McKinsey. Considering how reliant we’ve become on virtual visits as a clinical tool, […]
During the Coronavirus pandemic, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has taken unprecedented action to expand telehealth for Medicare beneficiaries. Since people were advised to stay at home to reduce risk of exposure of COVID-19, there was an urgency to increase access to telehealth services to help people who need routine care and […]
Blockchain technology continues to cause a significant amount of disruption in various industries across the world, particularly in healthcare, according to a Research and Markets report. Three things to know: The decentralized ledger technology has the potential to overcome interoperability and security challenges that have plagued the healthcare system. Within the healthcare segment, technology is being used […]
CAQH CORE, a healthcare industry-led operating standards group, has announced new rules that move the healthcare industry closer to fully automating the prior authorization process. “Not only do the operating rules represent a foundational step forward in improving the prior authorization process, they also signal broad industry commitment to adopting tangible solutions to reduce administrative burdens,” said […]