Legal/Regulatory Issues Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) reports that some rural hospitals in the state are suffering from a “Medicare billing snafu” that is “generating steep financial hardships” for the already struggling facilities. The report says hospital leaders have been “vexed by a recent payment processing change” by CMS that is “effectively holding…
A blog post by health policy, consulting, and lobbying firm McDermott+ dives into the recently released annual report from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), the nonpartisan independent legislative branch agency that provides the U.S. Congress with analysis and policy advice on the Medicare program -- with a particular focus on…
National Nurses United (NNU), which identifies itself as the nation’s largest union of RNs with more than 225,000 members, was scheduled to bring its nationwide Red Alert tour to Alameda (Calif.) Hospital on Saturday. It would be the third stop on the tour, which visits a community hospital on a…
Media outlet Mississippi Today reports that Greenwood Leflore Hospital received temporary relief from making payments to the state’s Medicaid system after an order issued by a Hinds County Chancery judge last week. The judge ordered the Mississippi Division of Medicaid to temporarily stop collecting money owed by Greenwood Leflore after…
Nashville’s NewsChannel5 reports that a bill moving through the Tennessee state legislature could eliminate the state’s certificate of need (CON) rules by 2030. Supporters of the bill say its passage could allow more hospitals to open in the Volunteer State, particularly in rural areas where facilities have been closing. According…
Axios published a link-rich roundup regarding the crisis facing Hennepin Healthcare, particularly its flagship facility Minneapolis’ Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC), the majority of whose patients are uninsured or on Medicaid. The mainstream media outlet frames HCMC’s troubles, including a potential closure, as “a warning” and a “canary in the coal…
Credentialing of providers is a challenge for many surgical facilities. If you’ve listened to Credentialing Chronicles, the podcast co-hosted by Shannen Aguayo, founder and CEO of Advanced Quality Compliance, and Nyleen Flores, BA, FMSP, CPMSM, CPCS, CPCO, CASC, administrator at Lake Oconee Orthopedics in Greensboro, Ga. (and member of our…
The first case of the day is a complex orthopedic procedure. Loaner trays were expected the afternoon before but arrived late in the evening. Sterile processing adjusted priorities to accommodate the load. The industry representative is already in the department at 6:00 a.m., confirming instrumentation and reviewing implant availability with…
WZTV-TV in Nashville reports that it received an email from Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) stating that it is halting gender-affirming plastic surgeries for adults. VUMC is in the process of contacting impacted patients regarding the new policy changes, says the TV station, which adds that VUMC released this statement on…
Two U.S. Congressional Representatives – Dave Taylor (R-OH) and Carol Miller (R-WV) – last week introduced a bill that they hope becomes a law called the Defend Rural Health Act. The bill aims to “protect the integrity of federal rural health benefits” by eliminating the “dually classified” loophole that the two…
