Latest RCM News News

New Reporting, Shared Losses Rules for MSSP ACOs in Disaster Areas

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In a new interim final rule, CMS modified quality reporting and shared losses policies for Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) accountable care organizations (ACOs) affected by recent natural...

State Reviews Beth Israel, Lahey Health Hospital Merger

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The proposed hospital merger between Boston health systems Beth Israel Deaconess and Lahey Health is delayed as the state’s Health Policy Commission reviews the deal for healthcare costs,...

Advocate, Aurora and Dignity Health, CHI Sign Hospital Merger Deals

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The healthcare market in Chicago is bracing for some major changes starting with the recently announced hospital merger between Advocate Health Care and Wisconsin-based Aurora Health Care. The largest...

CMS Cancels Mandatory Hip, Cardiac Bundled Payment Models

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CMS recently finalized proposals to eliminate mandatory hip fracture and cardiac bundled payment models slated to launch on Jan. 1, 2018 and decrease the scope of the existing Comprehensive Care for...

Sutter Health Destroys Evidence for Case on High Healthcare Prices

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A state judge ruled that California-based Sutter Health intentionally destroyed 192 boxes of documents that pertained to a lawsuit accusing the health system of inflating healthcare prices and...

Pres Trump Taps Former Pharma Exec Alex Azar as Next HHS Secretary

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President Trump recently nominated Alex M. Azar II as the next HHS Secretary, according to multiple news sources. Azar was the former president of Eli Lilly’s American division and a health...

CMS Cancels Home Health Groupings Model, $950M Reimbursement Cut

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CMS recently scrapped the proposed Home Health Groupings Model. The model would have used clinical and patient characteristics rather than the current therapy service use thresholds to determine...

CMS Finalizes 2018 Hospital, Physician Medicare Reimbursement

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In a series of final rules released earlier this month, CMS updated and modified Medicare reimbursement rates for hospitals and physicians in 2018. The rules aim to “reflect a broader...

CMS Issues 2018 MACRA Implementation, Quality Payment Program Rule

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CMS recently issued a final 2018 MACRA implementation rule, detailing the requirements for Quality Payment Program participation in 2018. “CMS listened to feedback from the healthcare community...

Accountable Care Organizations Cut Medicare Spending by $836M

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Accountable care organizations (ACOs) decreased Medicare spending by $836 million in 2016, new data from CMS revealed. As a result, the organizations from four Medicare ACO programs returned about...

Tenet Cuts 1,300 Jobs as Part of $150M Cost Reduction Initiative

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Tenet Healthcare Corporation recently announced the elimination of approximately 1,300 jobs as part of the health system’s effort to reduce annual operating costs by $150 million by the end of...

Healthcare Merger, Acquisition Activity to Rise Despite Slow Q3

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Healthcare mergers and acquisition activity in the third quarter of 2017 may be down by 11 percent compared to last year and 6 percent compared to last quarter. But deal volume still reached over 200...

Trevor Fetter Steps Down as Tenet Healthcare Corp CEO, Director

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Tenet Healthcare Corporation CEO Trevor Fetter stepped down earlier than expected as head of the health system. He also resigned as director of the company, Tenet recently announced. The health system...

382 Hospitals Earn Initial Reconciliation Payments Under CJR Model

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Out of approximately 800 hospitals required to participate in Medicare’s Comprehensive Joint Replacement (CJR) model, 382 facilities will receive a reconciliation payment based on cost savings...

Tenet Starts Chicago Market Exit with Sale of MacNeal Hospital

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Tenet Healthcare Corporation recently announced that Loyola Medicine has signed a definitive agreement to purchase MacNeal Hospital, one of Tenet’s four hospitals in the Chicago area. Loyola...

Healthcare Price Growth Hits Lowest Rate in About Two Years

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Healthcare price growth in August 2017 increased by just 1.2 percent compared to the previous year, reaching the lowest growth rate in nearly two years and only three-tenths above the lowest growth...

Healthcare RCM Vendors ZirMed and Navicure Announce Merger

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Healthcare revenue cycle management vendors Navicure and ZirMed recently announced that the organizations signed a definitive agreement to merge. Navicure will supposedly acquire ZirMed in a deal that...

HHS Offers Special Medicare Reimbursement After Hurricane Irma

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In the wake of Hurricane Irma, HHS re-opened the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) Definitive Care Reimbursement Program, a special Medicare reimbursement program that ensures hospitals and other...

Tenet Sells Remaining Philly Hospitals, Announces Divestitures

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Tenet Healthcare Corporation will no longer own hospitals in Philadelphia after the Dallas-based company recently sold Hahnemann University Hospital and St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children...

Carolinas HealthCare, UNC Health Announce Healthcare Merger

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Carolinas HealthCare System and UNC Health Care recently announced their intentions to engage in a healthcare merger that would create one of the largest non-profit systems in the nation. The two...