The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) introduced various ways to strengthen primary care by improving care coordination, making it easier for clinicians to work together and helping clinicians spend more time with their patients. One such program is the Comprehensive Primary Care (CPC) initiative.
Federal health care reform continues to spur consolidation and integration among hospitals in the U.S. One example is the acquisition of 36-bed Cumberland River Hospital in Celina, Tennessee, by 247-bed Cookeville Regional Medical Center in Cookeville, Tennessee
The 2012 Mississippi legislative session was closely watched as Gov. Phil Bryant and Lt.
The May 11, 2012, Federal Register includes the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed rule changes to the Long-Term Care Hospitals Prospective Payment System (LTCH PPS) for federal fiscal year 2013. Among the changes in the proposed rule: LTCH Rate Updates: The proposed LTCH-specific market is based solely on Medicare cost report data of LTCHs and excludes Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs) and Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities (IPFs) for the first time
In accordance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the Secretary of Health and Human Services issued a report to Congress on April 11, 2012, addressing a plan to reform the Medicare wage index methodology.
Hospitals and health systems are well served by proactive strategic planning and processes with respect to physician alignment, both for employed and independent physicians. This article points out some common problems and solutions to becoming a more purposeful organization with respect to physician alignment. Problem Many hospitals are reactive in determining where resources are best spent around physician alignment. Often, a physician group will approach a hospital looking to be acquired or to enter into a contractual arrangement, such as an on-call deal, and the hospital will immediately begin working with the group to reach an understanding or accommodation. This reactive approach can waste time and resources on low-impact results or low-priority relationships. Solution Hospitals need to develop a clear strategy around physician alignment and implement a unified process around affiliation activity
On February 16, 2012, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published proposed rules for reporting and returning overpayments. While providers and suppliers have been reporting and returning overpayments from the Medicare program for years, section 6402(a) of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act established a new section of the Social Security Act that essentially requires a provider or supplier receiving an overpayment from the Medicare program to report it in writing and return it to the appropriate entity, at the correct address.
The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) supports communities, known as Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), with limited access to primary, dental or mental health care by providing financial support for loan repayment and scholarships for professionals working at NHSC-approved sites.
Washington engaged in an annual ritual on February 13. The president sent his proposed budget for fiscal year 2013 to Capitol Hill, where it promptly was declared dead on arrival. While this declaration is true, it also is entirely beside the point.
2011 Long-Term Care M&A Activity Finishes Strong The long-term care (LTC) merger & acquisition (M&A) market saw its best year in 2011 since peaking in 2006 and 2007 in terms of publicly announced transactions and dollar volume. Results are still filtering in, but with a final year-end projection of 150 transactions, 2011 is slated to be the most active year in LTC M&A since the late 1990s. The first three quarters of the year alone exceeded transaction counts for full years 2008 through 2010 with 118 deals.