After COVID-19 spurred a boom in telehealth, systems mull how to sustain momentum

An annual survey of providers from the Center for Connected Medicine and Klas Research found a focus on integration and security, but fears about the uncertain reimbursement landscape.

By Hailey Mensik • Oct. 20, 2020

How Banner Health is using AI to keep electives going

The major Arizona nonprofit is using big data and machine learning to help care teams and patients make decisions about when to go forward with care. It argues strict mandates aren't needed.

By Samantha Liss • Oct. 19, 2020

Explore the Trendline➔

Surprise Billing

Federal legislation banning surprise bills has hit a barrage of roadblocks, complicating efforts to protect consumers from unexpected out-of-network charges.

By Healthcare Dive staff

Retail's role, focus on equity, value-based pay amid COVID-19: takeaways from HLTH 2020

Back-to-work products, coronavirus vaccine distribution and telehealth ROI were also hot topics at the conference's third year.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Oct. 19, 2020

CommonSpirit to link physical, behavioral health with Concert deal: HLTH 2020

The goal of the partnership is to expand access to healthcare, especially in underserved communities, as racial disparities and inequitable patient outcomes come into focus during COVID-19, CEO Lloyd Dean said.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Oct. 15, 2020

Hospitals warn of 'devastating' impact from CARES funds reporting change

The problem centers on how the agency is now defining "lost revenue." AHA bashed the change as "simply unfair and unrealistic" and added it would create an "administrative and accounting disaster."

By Samantha Liss • Oct. 14, 2020

Trinity sees red ink, but mixed bag of results, in grappling with COVID-19

The pandemic pushed the Michigan-based system to a $34.5 million net deficit in fiscal 2020, a stark contrast to the $834 million surplus it posted in the prior fiscal year. Still, some measures improved, including days of cash on hand.

By Ron Shinkman • Oct. 13, 2020

Kaiser CEO promises strategic shift to stronger focus on equity: HLTH 2020

Greg Adams said the California-based nonprofit plans to bring ethnicity and race factors into how it evaluates quality and care, speaking Monday at the virtual conference. The board is still figuring out what that means in practice.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Oct. 13, 2020

Pediatric hospitals face 'double whammy,' not spared from COVID-19 effects

The facilities had to shut down many services amid the pandemic and saw few coronavirus patients. Now they face squeezed Medicaid budgets.

By Samantha Liss • Oct. 12, 2020

Changed fortunes: Under scrutiny, health plans should show their value now

It's time to reinvest and double down on the things that will propel health plans into the future.

By Peter Manoogian • Oct. 12, 2020

In surprise move, HCA to return all $6B in COVID-19 federal aid

The biggest for-profit chain also predicted third quarter revenue up 5% to $13.3 billion, even amid a coronavirus-spurred drop in volume.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Oct. 9, 2020

Lyft integrates with Epic, exponentially growing NEMT reach

The ridehailing app's deal with the biggest EHR vendor in the country comes about a year after rival Uber announced a similar partnership with Cerner.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Oct. 8, 2020

HHS says hospitals must now report flu data as well as COVID-19 numbers

Facilities will have 14 weeks to comply with the requirement that will inform distribution of treatment and supplies as public health officials worry about a dangerous clash of flu season and the pandemic.

By Hailey Mensik • Oct. 7, 2020

COVID-19 may be speeding up hospital M&A, analysis finds

A report from Kaufman Hall finds deal activity up significantly in the third quarter. It comes as talks over federal relief funds for providers collapsed.

By Shannon Muchmore • Oct. 7, 2020

Citing COVID-19, providers push back on CMS payment rule rate cuts, telehealth rollback in 2021

The AMA and AHA are among those lobbying hard against any payment reduction amid the pandemic. Stakeholders also spoke out against rolling back coverage of audio-only virtual visits and nixing the inpatient-only list.

By Hailey Mensik • Oct. 6, 2020

COVID-19 drags CommonSpirit into red for first full fiscal year

Although the pandemic didn't begin in earnest until 10 months into the nonprofit's fiscal year, CommonSpirit saw declining admissions and investments along with increased charity care expenses.

By Ron Shinkman • Oct. 5, 2020

Healthcare jobs in uneven recovery after big spring losses

The latest unemployment report out Friday showed the hospital sector had a small dip in its workforce, though ambulatory services and dentists saw continued gains.

By Hailey Mensik • Oct. 2, 2020

Advocate Aurora, Beaumont call off merger following COVID-19, doctor pushback

Discussions began in late 2019, but stalled earlier this year as the coronavirus pandemic accelerated in the U.S., stressing provider finances, and reports of opposition from Beaumont doctors.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Oct. 2, 2020

HHS widens range of providers eligible for COVID-19 relief in $20B third round

Providers who began practicing in January through March will now be eligible, and those who already received or rejected aid can apply again.

By Hailey Mensik • Oct. 1, 2020

Election 2020: Trump and Biden's starkly diverging views on healthcare

Spoiler: the two nominees diverge on almost everything.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Oct. 1, 2020

Providers win Medicare loan extension, DSH relief but lose other asks in stop-gap spending law

The law signed by the president Thursday is likely the only direct aid providers can expect before the November presidential election, after Congress deadlocked on further COVID-19 legislation.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Oct. 1, 2020

Provider finance execs bracing for unfavorable shift in payer mix, survey finds

About 70% of CFOs and revenue cycle leaders are readying for a drop in commercially insured patients — a highly prized cohort for providers and health systems.

By Samantha Liss • Sept. 30, 2020

UHS confirms Sunday ransomware attack, some 250 hospitals still affected

The for-profit operator confirmed reports malware was behind a massive system outage that affected its entire U.S. operations, including more than 250 hospitals that continue to use paper documentation.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Updated Oct. 2, 2020

HHS says nearly $106B in CARES aid has been distributed to providers

Health systems are concerned, however, that new reporting guidelines issued by HHS could stanch the flow of money in the near future.

By Ron Shinkman • Sept. 28, 2020

Trump administration may push back interoperability rules, again: Rucker

HHS is "looking at needed changes" to deadlines for its information blocking rules, ONC head Don Rucker said last week. His comments followed a rule quietly sent to OMB with a title implying extension of certain compliance dates.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Sept. 28, 2020

COVID-19 volume declines mostly uniform, but higher in Black, Latino neighborhoods, study shows

Hospital admissions were profoundly impacted this spring by the novel coronavirus, sometimes in unusual ways, new research in Health Affairs concluded.

By Ron Shinkman • Sept. 25, 2020