Finances: Page 44
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4 key elements of the COVID-19 relief legislation for providers and payers
President Joe Biden signed the legislation Thursday afternoon, but provider groups immediately called on Congress to pass a new bill extending the pause on Medicare sequester cuts.
By Shannon Muchmore , Samantha Liss , Rebecca Pifer • Updated March 12, 2021 -
Non-operating income helps Providence claw back into black for 2020
The system, which operates 51 hospitals spanning seven states, posted drastic losses in the first half of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but closed out the year on more stable financial footing.
By Rebecca Pifer • March 9, 2021 -
Countering payers, drugmakers say net prices declined in 2020
Reports from three large pharmaceutical companies indicate increasing rebate payments and discounts to insurers more than offset the average price increases they took on their medicines.
By Jonathan Gardner • March 8, 2021 -
Coronavirus relief bill with rural hospital aid passes Senate
The nearly $2 trillion bill also includes billions for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing as well as extra subsidies to help people buy health coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces.
By Shannon Muchmore • March 8, 2021 -
Trinity's Chicago Mercy Hospital enters deal to avert closing doors
The safety net hospital entered a nonbinding agreement to be acquired by Insight, which operates a small hospital and biotechnology venture outside of Detroit, after filing for bankruptcy last month.
By Ron Shinkman • March 5, 2021 -
Mayo Clinic's 2020 profit down, but net assets increase considerably
In December, the nonprofit system returned nearly half of the federal coronavirus relief funds it received. That's on top of sending back advanced Medicare payments earlier in the year.
By Ron Shinkman • March 1, 2021 -
One Medical denies COVID-19 vaccine favoritism, gives 'muted' outlook
News reports last week alleged the primary care company let friends and family of company leadership, along with younger, healthier people, get the shot.
By Rebecca Pifer • March 1, 2021 -
Hospitals likely upcoding severity levels for Medicare patients, OIG says
The most expensive hospital stays increased 20% over the six years studied, which were before the COVID-19 pandemic began, according to the report.
By Ron Shinkman • Feb. 26, 2021 -
Cyberattack cost UHS $67M in back half of 2020
Still, the hospital operator reported year-over-year increases in profit for the fourth quarter of 2020 and the full year, helped some by federal pandemic relief funds.
By Hailey Mensik • Feb. 26, 2021 -
Cigna health services arm Evernorth completes buy of telehealth vendor MDLive
The deal closed Monday, the payer said. MDLive will operate as part of Evernorth's portfolio that also includes pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts.
By Rebecca Pifer • Updated April 20, 2021 -
Rising expenses threaten hospitals' financial recovery: AHA, Kaufman Hall report
Costs to treat COVID-19 patients are continuing to hamper finances as more lucrative services sluggishly recover, according to the report from the consultants and the hospital lobby.
By Hailey Mensik • Feb. 25, 2021 -
Teladoc guides to softer 2021, suggesting easing of pandemic boom
Shares of the virtual care giant slumped 7% after fourth-quarter results showed a net loss of $485.1 million last year despite surging volumes.
By Rebecca Pifer • Feb. 25, 2021 -
Hospitals still struggle with volumes, finances due to COVID-19
Kaufman Hall's national hospital flash report found ED visits were down 24.7% year over year in January, suggesting one of the biggest feeders into inpatient admissions will remain significantly depressed.
By Ron Shinkman • Feb. 23, 2021 -
Oscar Health eyes $6.7B valuation with upcoming IPO
Even though the startup added members to plans and expanded to several states last year, it faces flagging financial performance that could tamp down investor enthusiasm.
By Rebecca Pifer • Feb. 22, 2021 -
Capping hospital prices could save $235B annually, Rand study says
The American Hospital Association blasted the report, casting blame on the insurance industry and noting that sector's recent healthy profits.
By Ron Shinkman • Feb. 18, 2021 -
Anthem-backed digital startup Sharecare goes public in $3.9B blank check deal
The startup, launched by WebMD founder Jeff Arnold and medical TV personality Mehmet Oz, will merge with special purpose acquisition company Falcon Capital Acquisition and is the latest in the digital health SPAC craze.
By Rebecca Pifer • Feb. 17, 2021 -
Payer profits nosedived in Q4 on increased COVID-19 expenses
Still, major insurers ended 2020 in the black, buoyed by the pullback in utilization during earlier quarters.
Feb. 17, 2021 -
CVS to jump back into individual ACA markets in 2022
The health giant has yet to disclose specific geographies or the cost of the plans, with newly installed CEO Karen Lynch telling investors Tuesday to expect more details in the second quarter.
By Rebecca Pifer • Feb. 16, 2021 -
Cerner bets worst of COVID-19 hits in rear view mirror, eyes pivot to data focus
The hope is that hospital budgets will keep recovering from the pandemic, allowing clients to reinvest in core health IT while the EHR giant also expands its data-as-a-service products.
By Rebecca Pifer • Feb. 11, 2021 -
Tenet swings to profit, but execs guarded on a post-pandemic recovery
The hospital operator is delaying its plan to spin off its revenue cycle management subsidiary, Conifer Health Solutions, into an independent publicly traded company for another year because of disruption from COVID-19.
By Hailey Mensik , Samantha Liss • Updated Feb. 10, 2021 -
Hospital interest in patient monitoring tools rising, survey finds
Purchasing managers surveyed now expect to have bigger capital equipment budgets this year than they did six months into the pandemic, investment bank UBS said.
By Susan Kelly • Feb. 9, 2021 -
Pandemic habits could cause US health spending to decelerate over 2 decades, Deloitte predicts
The consultancy's predictive modeling based its estimate on the rise of digital health products and more consumer engagement. Such a slowing contrasts more dire spending forecasts made prior to the COVID-19 crisis.
By Rebecca Pifer • Feb. 8, 2021 -
Cigna's COVID-19 costs outweighed deferred care savings for first time in Q4
CEO David Cordani told investors he expects 2021 to be a "year of transition" as coronavirus vaccine rollouts will "continue to tax an already overburdened healthcare system."
By Shannon Muchmore • Feb. 4, 2021 -
HCA beats Wall Street expectations in Q4 with revenue up 6% despite low volume
Despite worries of COVID-19 decimating hospital finances and ongoing lobbying from trade groups like the American Hospital Association for more relief funds, HCA still reported full-year growth in 2020.
By Rebecca Pifer • Feb. 2, 2021 -
Deep Dive
3 big predictions for digital health in 2021
As tech and data sharing become more pervasive, healthcare will likely pivot to being more predictive, and telehealth will evolve, giving rise to new modalities of care. This will force companies to invest more in cybersecurity.
By Rebecca Pifer • Jan. 29, 2021