Moody’s Investor Service recently released an update of its 2012 outlook for not-for-profit hospitals, noting that the negative outlook remains but emphasizing both established risks and developing trends that have become more prominent over the last nine months. (Not-for-Profit Healthcare Mid-Year 2012 Outlook: Strong Headwinds Continue, Moody’s Investors Service, August 2012.) According to the […]
The number of hospitals involved in mergers has increased 62% since 2009. Because of the costs of providing quality health care and additional regulations from the Affordable Care Act (ACA), stand-alone hospitals have been incentivized to merge with larger hospital systems to cut costs and increase profitability. “Notwithstanding these merger-rich conditions, the Federal Trade Commission […]
Atul Gawande, M.D., celebrated for his thoughtful article about the quality of care in U.S. hospitals/systems, recently wrote that “the way medical care is organized Is changing—because the way we pay for it is changing.” (Atul Gawande, “Big Med,” The New Yorker, August 13, 2013) The goal of many large health systems, Dr. Gawande […]
As the federal and state governments continue to implement the provisions of the Affordable Care Act, experts express concerns about the lack of physicians to care for the expanded pool of patients. “The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates that in 2015 the country will have 62,900 fewer doctors than needed. And that number will […]
“The Affordable Care Act added a new section to the Internal Revenue Code called Section 501(r), which sets forth the additional requirements that tax-exempt hospitals have to meet. Many of the 501(r) requirements are really process requirements. You must conduct a community health needs assessment. You must have a financial assistance policy. You must make […]
Blog submission by Jeffrey Bauer, Ph.D., an independent consultant and speaker based in Chicago. Years ago I defined strategic planning as a purposeful response to anticipated change, consistent with mission and values. My colleagues excelled at teaching mission and values, so I decided to specialize in anticipating change and preparing for it. I’ve subsequently […]
Blog submission by Anne McGeorge, national managing partner of Grant Thornton LLP’s Health Care Practice Health care as a business is changing dramatically. Between health care reform, shrinking reimbursements, accountable care, electronic health records, new technologies, growing scrutiny from regulators and other transformative aspects of health care, hospitals and health care systems are under […]
“There is no deadline for a state to tell our Department [CMS] its plans on Medicaid eligibility expansion,” said Marilyn Tavenner, acting administrator for CMS in a letter to the Republican Governors Association last week. Tavenner’s letter to the Republican Governors Association was in response to questions stemming from the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent […]
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius last week announced the approval of 89 new Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) for participation in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP). The 89 ACOs will serve Medicare beneficiaries in forty states and Washington, DC. This brings the total number of ACOs to 154, including the […]
The uncertainty in the minds of some donors about what is coming next is creating a pause. (William McGinly, Ph.D., Association for Healthcare Philanthropy) We know that the Supreme Court decision on healthcare reform did not eliminate uncertainty about our system of healthcare. We know we need to cut costs further. We need to […]