UnitedHealthcare terminates Mednax from its network over pricing squabble

The dispute puts patients, particularly those undergoing surgery, women with high-risk pregnancies and ill newborns, at risk of out-of-network bills in four states: Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. 

By Samantha Liss • Feb. 21, 2020

Community Health Systems reports $675M net loss in 2019

The Tennessee-based hospital operator continued to shed hospitals last year, contributing to a decline of total admissions.

By Samantha Liss • Feb. 20, 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

CommonSpirit posts 1st operating gain since merger finalized

The documents paint a better picture for the system formed a year ago by Dignity Health and Catholic Health Initiatives, which has struggled financially since its union.

By Shannon Muchmore • Updated Feb. 19, 2020

Most large hospitals embrace patient-facing digital tools despite cost concerns

Respondents said they were helping patients manage simple tasks like accessing health records, making appointments and paying bills, according to a new survey from the Center for Connected Medicine.

By Hailey Mensik • Feb. 19, 2020

FDA tracks uptick in masks, other protective gear in coronavirus update

Commissioner Stephen Hahn said the shift in ordering patterns is yet to manifest in a shortage but warned recently the situation is "evolving and very dynamic."

By Nick Paul Taylor • Feb. 19, 2020

Richer not-for-profit hospitals less generous with charity care, JAMA analysis finds

Hospitals in states that expanded Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act also tend to provide less charity care, the survey of 2,500 health systems found.

By Ron Shinkman • Feb. 18, 2020

Ascension's income from operations falls 9% over 6 months

While total discharges remained stagnant, the Catholic system's biggest volume growth came from physician office and clinic visits, which increased 8.3% during the period compared to a year earlier.

By Samantha Liss • Feb. 18, 2020

Last year saw 19 rural hospitals close, most in nearly a decade

The states with the highest number of closures in the past 10 years are Texas at 20 and Tennessee at 12, followed by Oklahoma and Georgia with seven each, according to a report from The Chartis Center for Rural Health.

By Shannon Muchmore • Feb. 18, 2020

Ballad Health reports stable quarter despite rural patient headwinds

Moody's Investors Service affirmed the rating of the system's bonds at Baa1 and maintains a positive outlook on its operations, which dominate a large swath of Appalachia.

By Samantha Liss • Feb. 14, 2020

Moody's weighs coronavirus impact across hospitals, other sectors

For hospitals, the impact will depend on the length of stay for patients. Any further outbreak would increase volumes but could pressure margins if facilities are forced to cancel more lucrative elective procedures.

By Shannon Muchmore • Feb. 13, 2020

Tenet to pay $1.4M to settle claims it implanted cardiac monitors unnecessarily

The allegations stemmed from a lawsuit filed by a medical center employee who will share in the settlement and is set to receive nearly $241,000.

By Samantha Liss • Feb. 12, 2020

1 in 5 surgery patients hit with surprise medical bill, JAMA study finds

Anesthesiologist and surgical assistants were associated with the most out-of-network charges. The findings come as lawmakers in Congress debate rival proposals to curb the unexpected bills this week.

By Hailey Mensik • Feb. 11, 2020

Hospitals, clinics most likely to be hit with ransomware attack

Nearly 1,500 healthcare companies have been hit with an attack over the past four years, affecting 6.6 million patients, according to a report published Tuesday by Comparitech, which rates IT privacy tools.

By Shannon Muchmore • Feb. 11, 2020

Kaiser income nearly triples to $7.4B in 2019, driven by investments

The results come as nonprofit healthcare operators across the country face rising scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers for what critics call excessive profits for a tax-exempt entity.

By Samantha Liss • Feb. 10, 2020

Hospital margins rose in December following slump

Hospitals saw increased volumes and revenues in the last month of 2019 despite increases in bad debt and charity care, along with mixed performance on expenses, according to a new report from Kaufman Hall.

By Hailey Mensik • Feb. 6, 2020

VA facility claimed as 'world's 1st' 5G-enabled hospital

The Palo Alto Health Care System's 5G infrastructure — the fifth generation of cellular mobile communications — will be operational this week, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said Wednesday.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Feb. 6, 2020

Hospitals spent $2.5B on social determinant programs from 2017 to 2019

The amount health systems are putting into SDOH initiatives is dwarfed by $60 billion in community benefit spending, but it's nevertheless a "substantial investment," Health Affairs researchers note.

By Shannon Muchmore • Feb. 4, 2020

Number of nurse practitioners more than doubled over 7 years

The increase led to an estimated loss of 80,000 registered nurses, and signals a potential shift of labor away from hospitals and into other primary care settings, Health Affairs researchers said.

By Hailey Mensik • Feb. 4, 2020

Payers, providers urge CMS to scrap rule targeting supplemental Medicaid payments

The AHA warned the rule would "severely curtail the availability of health care services to millions" of people and cut Medicaid payments to hospitals by up to $31 billion annually.

By Samantha Liss • Feb. 3, 2020

Codes for social determinants rarely used, analysis finds

The most frequently used code was for homelessness, followed by problems related to living alone and disappearance and death of a family member, according to CMS.

By Shannon Muchmore • Jan. 30, 2020

After past Ebola struggles, US hospitals prepping for coronavirus uptick

Even though key questions remain about this coronavirus, hospital officials said they're well trained from prior experience including the threat of Ebola in 2014 and the 2009 outbreak of swine flu​.

By Samantha Liss • Jan. 29, 2020

Lyft snags another major health system partner in CommonSpirit

The deal with the 21-state, $29 billion system is the latest move from the rideshare giant as it jostles for space beside Uber in the growing NEMT market.

By Rebecca Pifer Parduhn • Jan. 29, 2020

HCA sees jumps in inpatient, ER, surgeries in Q4

The hospital giant kicked off the start of earnings reports for the sector, pleasing Wall Street. CEO Sam Hazen also argued against the Trump administration's price transparency efforts.

By Samantha Liss • Jan. 28, 2020

Drug rebates from 340B, Medicaid could be applied twice, GAO finds

Poor oversight of the 340B Drug Discount Pricing Program and the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program may allow providers to improperly receive discounts from both, the watchdog said.

By Hailey Mensik • Jan. 28, 2020

Providers warned to be vigilant as coronavirus fear spreads

"We want people to have a high index of suspicion and to call if they have a patient they're concerned about," a CDC official said Sunday. Five cases are now confirmed in the U.S., but officials said they expect the number to climb.

By Shannon Muchmore • Jan. 27, 2020