The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized its 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, which includes a 2.9% Medicare Physician Pay Cuts to physician payments. This decision, despite opposition from major industry groups, will impact healthcare providers and potentially patient access to care. The rule also includes several positive provisions, such as expanded […]
What’s the news: The AMA is emphatically stating that the proposed 3.36% reduction in the 2024 Medicare physician payment schedule is ill-advised, posing a threat to the accessibility of high-quality physician care for the 50 million plus elderly individuals enrolled in Medicare. The AMA President emphasized that with escalating costs associated with medical practice; another […]
Most physicians spend their sleepless nights worrying about malpractice lawsuits but not medical board complaints. However, a complaint to a medical board is a considerable challenge posing as much risk to a physician’s career as a malpractice case. Such a complaint often can be very trying and potentially damaging to one’s reputation. Some of the […]
Adopting the right technology can help allocate or reallocate time from physicians and staff to focus on patient engagement and satisfaction. With all the pressures on physician time these days, it’s no wonder some doctors struggle to engage patients fully in their medical care, overall health and future well-being. Patient engagement efforts compete with all […]
Outcomes-based models are spreading, but fee-for-service still dominates payment landscape. Is value-based care having a moment? Health care policy experts and institutions have long agreed that fee-for-service (FFS) medicine is wasteful, outmoded and at least partially responsible for the U.S. spending far more than peer nations on health care, but with outcomes that are no […]
Following a private equity acquisition, physician practices saw a 20.2 percent increase in charges per claim, an 11 percent raise in the allowed amount per claim, and a 37.9 percent increase in new patient visits. Private equity acquisition of physician practices in dermatology, gastroenterology, and ophthalmology was associated with increased healthcare spending and utilization, according […]
More than half of economists agree that the U.S. economy is headed for a downturn. Contrary to popular belief, the healthcare sector has never been recession-proof. Reports indicate that the healthcare industry is affected later in a recession and has a longer recovery period. Compared to other healthcare facilities, like hospitals and emergency rooms, independent […]
Claims denials can be frustrating for a physician practice to deal with, but leaving them unattended leaves a significant amount of revenue uncollected, says Andria Jacobs, RN, CPHQ, chief operating officer at PCG Software. Her company develops healthcare applications focused on cost containment, fraud and abuse detection, based in Las Vegas, Nev. Jacobs says […]