Recently added articles from Healthcare Financial Management:

Bill would extend moratoriums on new Medicaid regulations.(Medicare/Medicaid)

May 01, 2008 ... Democratic members of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health on April 3 criticized new Medicaid regulations proposed by the Bush administration and said they would pass legislation to block the regulations from taking effect, CO. Today reported. The regulations would prohibit ...

Despite difficulties, states advance healthcare reform, says report.(State Watch)(Report)

May 01, 2008 ... A new report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's State Coverage Initiatives program, State of the States 2008: Rising to the Challenge, outlines 2007 efforts to expand health insurance coverage and find new tools to address healthcare reform at the state level. While many states have ...

Physician, refer thyself.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief article)

May 01, 2008 ... According to an AHA TrendWatch report (April 2008), analysis of Medicare cost reports ...

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has added a new section (2021) to Chapter 2 of its manual, entitled "Non-accredited Hospitals," to provide guidance specific to the survey and certification of nonaccredited hospitals.(CMS)(Brief article)

May 01, 2008 ... ... The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has added a new section (2021) to Chapter 2 of its manual, entitled "Non-accredited Hospitals," to provide guidance specific to the survey and certification of nonaccredited hospitals ....

CMS has updated the standard payment conversion factor per section 115 of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 and has also provided hospitals a mechanism to submit "no-pay" bills to Medicare for Medicare Advantage (MA) patients.(CMS)(SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 )

May 01, 2008 ... ... CMS has updated the standard payment conversion factor per section 115 of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 and has also provided hospitals a mechanism to submit "no-pay" bills to Medicare for Medicare Advantage (MA) patients. On Aug. 24, 2007, CMS ...

CMS has updated its manual to clarify the use of the JW modifier when processing all drugs except competitive acquisition program (CAP) drugs.(CMS)(Brief article)

May 01, 2008 ... ... CMS has updated its manual to clarify the use of the JW modifier when processing all drugs except competitive acquisition program (CAP) drugs. When processing all drugs except those provided under the CAP for Part B drugs and biologicals, local contractors may require the use ...

Medicare Regulation 42 CFR [section]405.378 provides for the assessment of interest at the higher of the current value of funds rate (5 percent for CY08) or the private consumer rate as fixed by the Department of the Treasury.(CMS)(Brief article)

May 01, 2008 ... ... Medicare Regulation 42 CFR [section]405.378 provides for the assessment of interest at the higher of the current value of funds rate (5 percent for CY08) or the private consumer rate as fixed by ...

Pennsylvania House passes bill limiting insurers' ability to base rates on health history for individual, small-business plans.(NEWS WATCH)(Brief article)

May 01, 2008 ... The Pennsylvania House on April 1 voted 131-72 to approve legislation (HB 2005) that would limit the ability of insurers to consider certain factors, such as health history, when setting rates for health plans offered to individuals and small businesses, the Pittsburgh Post- Gazette ...

... By means of a final rule (Federal Register, April 4, 2008), CMS is modernizing the Medicare conditions for coverage for the nation's dialysis centers.(FEDERAL REGISTER)(Brief article)

May 01, 2008 ... ... By means of a final rule (Federal Register, April 4, 2008), CMS is modernizing the Medicare conditions for coverage for the nation's dialysis centers. The regulation updates the current requirements that were first published in 1976. These regulations will serve as minimum ...

... By means of a final rule (Federal Register, April 3, 2008), CMS changes the weighting methodology used to calculate the low-income benchmark premium amount for 2009 and thereafter.(FEDERAL REGISTER)(Brief article)

May 01, 2008 ... ... By means of a final rule (Federal Register, April 3, 2008), CMS changes the weighting methodology used to calculate the low-income benchmark premium amount for 2009 and thereafter. Under the final rule, the benchmark weighting methodology is adjusted so that the relative ...

... By means of a proposed rule (Federal Register, March 17, 2008).(FEDERAL REGISTER)(Brief article)

May 01, 2008 ... ... By means of a proposed rule (Federal Register, March 17, 2008), CMS proposes the procedures that the Department of Health and Human Services would follow at the administrative law judge and Medicare appeals council ...

Financial status of Medicare serious: trustees.(Quick Hits: Top News Stories of the Month)(Brief article)

May 01, 2008 ... In their annual report, the Medicare trustees announced on March 25 that both the Medicare hospital trust fund and the supplementary medical insurance trust fund expenditures are growing ...

New CDC report shows increase in uninsured.(Quick Hits: Top News Stories of the Month)(Report)(Brief article)

May 01, 2008 ... From January 2007 to September 2007, the number of Americans uninsured at the time of the National Health Interview Survey was 43.7 million (14.7 ...

More Medicaid enrollees could get home care under new rule: CMS.(Quick Hits: Top News Stories of the Month)(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)(Brief article)

May 01, 2008 ... Medicaid beneficiaries who were previously limited to receiving care in an institutional setting may now be ...

Sharp increase in employers' health costs: Kaiser.(Quick Hits: Top News Stories of the Month)(Brief article)

May 01, 2008 ... Employers who provide health care to their workers saw their costs climb to an average of $2.59 per hour in 2005--nearly a full dollar ...

Enrollment in consumer-driven plans sees only slight rise: survey.(Quick Hits: Top News Stories of the Month)(Brief article)

May 01, 2008 ... Enrollment in consumer-driven and high-deductible health plans increased in 2007, hut still makes up a small segment of the overall ...

Patient satisfaction has steadily increased since 2003: report.(Quick Hits: Top News Stories of the Month)(Brief article)

May 01, 2008 ... Patient satisfaction with the inpatient hospital experience has, for the most part, increased since 2003, with the most significant gains between April and October last year, according to the 2008 Hospital Pulse ...

Demands on nurses grow as hospital QI activities increase: study.(Quick Hits: Top News Stories of the Month)(Brief article)

May 01, 2008 ... Hospitals face growing tensions and tradeoffs when allocating nurses between the competing priorities of direct patient ...

Caring for May flowers.(Member Spotlight)

May 01, 2008 ... HFMA member Trudy Struck is a master gardener. If April showers bring May flowers, Trudy Struck has been waiting patiently for May to come. Struck, a member and past president of HFMA's Indiana Pressler Memorial Chapter and an A/R consultant for Blue & Co., LLC, in ...

Overheard.(ETCETERA)

May 01, 2008 ... "The impact of any further cuts to the Medicare Advantage [MA] program would fall squarely on the shoulders of the 9 million beneficiaries who rely on MA plans. Funding reductions would result in premium increases, benefit reductions, and possibly, the loss of quality, coordinated care ...