UHS Q1 results hit by COVID-19 as operating income falls 30%

The hospital chain said patient volume dramatically fell during the second half of March​, a trend continuing into April​. Still, CFO Steve Filton teased that resumption of elective surgeries is already happening.

By Samantha Liss • April 28, 2020

Reimbursement portal opens for providers that test, treat uninsured COVID-19 patients

To take part in the program run by UnitedHealth Group, hospitals and doctor's offices must agree not to balance bill the patient for medical treatment.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 28, 2020

Explore the Trendline➔

Provider burnout

Hospitals are still struggling with provider burnout, after the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated underlying staffing issues and prompted workers to quit their jobs.

By Healthcare Dive staff

Mayo Clinic details COVID-19 impact, discloses CARES funding allotment

Mayo estimates up to $3 billion in revenue losses so far given that the system is operating "well below" normal capacity.

By Samantha Liss • April 27, 2020

Amid steep losses, Henry Ford Health System furloughs 9% of workforce

Michigan has been hard hit by the novel coronavirus. Wayne County, Michigan, home to Detroit, accounts for the third most U.S. deaths by county, trailing two New York counties by one estimate.

By Samantha Liss • April 24, 2020

Half of US physicians using telemedicine amid pandemic, survey finds

Nearly one-third of physicians who responded to Merritt Hawkins said they plan to change practice settings, leave patient care roles, temporarily shut their practices or retire after the COVID-19 crisis.

By Hailey Mensik • April 23, 2020

Operating margins plummet at US hospitals, Kaufman Hall says

The data paint a dire picture. "These initial numbers only reflect the first two weeks of the COVID-19 response and likely indicate more negative results in the future," Jim Blake, managing director of Kaufman Hall, said.

By Hailey Mensik • April 22, 2020

Another court rules against hospitals on DSH payments

Hospitals had argued CMS should only use Medicaid and uninsured patient payments toward the disproportionate share hospital payment cap. A lower court ruled in favor, but an appeals court overturned that decision Monday.

By Shannon Muchmore • April 22, 2020

2nd round of hospital CARES funding tied to patient revenue

The second wave of the $100 billion in funding includes $10 billion for areas hard-hit by the virus like New York. The larger net patient service revenue, the more funding a hospital is likely to receive based on the latest formula.

By Samantha Liss • Updated April 23, 2020

Beaumont-Summa merger plans end as COVID-19 batters hospitals

The health systems had delayed the combination in April, citing the financial toll and uncertainty of the pandemic. They did not provide more details about the breakup Friday.

By Samantha Liss • Updated May 29, 2020

Trump signs bill designating additional $75B for hospital COVID-19 response

It's the fourth major piece of emergency legislative relief Congress has approved amid the pandemic. But hospitals and providers say more help will be needed.

By Shannon Muchmore • Updated April 24, 2020

New York nurses sue Montefiore, Westchester hospitals over pandemic working conditions

Both systems defended themselves against the actions by the New York State Nurses Association, which also sued the state health department. Nurses argued they were not properly trained for redeployment and not receiving PPE.

By Shannon Muchmore • April 21, 2020

HCA profit down 45% amid COVID-19 volume depression

The Nashville-based for-profit hospital operator missed Wall Street expectations for both earnings and revenue, chalking up the results to significantly lower patient volume in the last two weeks of the first quarter.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 21, 2020

CMS, surgeon group offer paths forward to resume elective procedures

Most facilities have been putting off non-emergency services since mid-March, but have taken a financial hit as a result. Congress is debating a fourth coronavirus relief package that reportedly contains $75 billion for hospitals.

By Susan Kelly • April 20, 2020

FCC releases 1st round of CARES funds for coronavirus telehealth response

Six providers, including those in hard-hit areas like New York and New Orleans, received more than $3.2 million from the $200 million fund set aside for telehealth by the CARES stimulus package Congress passed last month.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 17, 2020

Public health agencies, commercial labs warn patchy IT infrastructure hobbling COVID-19 response

"Public health is spending time digitizing the information, rather than being able to immediately analyze and act upon it," Janet Hamilton, executive director of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, said.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 17, 2020

Hospital lobby asks feds for more CARES funds, targeted distribution

The plea comes as CMS said the second round of the $100 billion package will come by the end of the week. The AHA chief said more is needed to address the worst financial crisis in history for hospitals.

By Ron Shinkman • April 17, 2020

2nd round of CARES funding, with broader reach, to go out this week

The first distribution was based on Medicare payments, but this week's funding round looks at "providers across the board, whether they serve Medicare patients, Medicaid or private insurers," CMS head Seema Verma said.

By Hailey Mensik • April 16, 2020

CDC to launch clinical reporting app for COVID-19 in May

A patchwork of requirements creates confusion and leads to COVID-19 cases being "significantly underreported," a CDC official said Wednesday at a virtual meeting of health IT congressional advisory group HITAC.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 16, 2020

Could coronavirus derail the decades-long shift to value-based care?

"This is not about managing a population. This is about doing everything you can to keep these people alive," Dean Ungar, vice president of Moody's Investors Service, said.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • April 15, 2020

Medtechs adapt to new sales reality amid halt on elective surgeries, hospitals' financial stress

Device manufacturers can't control how long COVID-19 shuts down the procedures and traditional sales models they depend on. But their flexibility during the down period can make or break the restart, industry advisers say.

By Maria Rachal • April 14, 2020

Hospital CARES funding not quite 'no strings attached'

Chains like Tenet and CHS can expect to see the biggest benefit in relation to profitability as providers start to receive the first $30 billion of the $100 billion allocated, according to Jefferies analysts.

By Shannon Muchmore • April 14, 2020

GM, Philips land $1.1B in HHS ventilator contracts, Medtronic boosts production

Much of industry has been prodded to ramp up production of the often large, complex and pricey devices barely mentioned in company financials before the pandemic but now seen as critical to saving the sickest COVID-19 patients.

By Nick Paul Taylor • April 13, 2020

AMA, other doc groups seek piece of CARES act funding

The doctors lobby, along with groups representing cardiologists, dermatologists and a range of other specialties, urged HHS Secretary Alex Azar to provide immediate aid "to support them against financial peril while they put their lives and businesses at risk."

By Hailey Mensik • April 9, 2020

Hospital costs to treat uninsured COVID-19 patients could top $40B

The Kaiser Family Foundation analysis is another indication that more funding will be needed to keep the U.S healthcare system running as it faces the unprecedented crisis.

By Shannon Muchmore , Hailey Mensik • April 8, 2020

COVID-19's public health crisis could also be a financial disaster for hospitals

Most systems already operate on relatively thin margins, with little room to handle a downswing, much less the pandemic that has now caused more deaths in the U.S. than any other nation.

By Shannon Muchmore • April 8, 2020