CMS issues emergency regs on daily COVID-19 reporting for hospitals, critical access hospitals
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on August 25 issued emergency regulations requiring all hospitals and critical access hospitals to report daily COVID-19 data. The data includes: number of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 positive patients being treated ICU beds occupied availability of ventilators, PPE, and other…
CMS to increase pay to hospitals for care of COVID-19 patients
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on August 17 updated its patient payment guidance to increase hospital reimbursement for care of COVID-19 patients by 20%. The payment increase will take effect September 1. Among requirements for hospitals to receive the Medicare payment increase: Patients must have…
What does it take to become an ERAS hospital?
Leaders at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Health System in Richmond started the journey to become an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) hospital in 2016 with the following problem statement: Across surgical specialties, and regardless of superior surgical technique, perioperative care, and anesthesia care, patients can experience extended length of hospital…
ACS opposes proposed Medicare physician fee schedule
Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) on August 4 announced that it is strongly opposed to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule for CY 2021. In the fee schedule, which is set to take place January 1, 2021, Medicare payments will…
CMS releases 2021 proposed payment rule for ASCs, HOPDs
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on August 4 released the 2021 proposed payment rule for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). Among the proposals in the rule: CMS proposes to expand the number of procedures that Medicare would pay for when performed…
New AHA analysis examines effect of COVID-19 on hospital margins
Editor's Note A new analysis prepared for the American Hospital Association (AHA) by Kaufman, Hall & Associates LLC examines COVID-19’s financial effects on hospitals and healthcare systems. The analysis, released July 21, finds that without further government support, hospital margins in the second half of 2020 could fall to -7%,…
Preoperative protocols enhance outpatient total joint outcomes
On January 1, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) began reimbursing healthcare providers for total hip arthroplasty performed in outpatient hospital settings and total knee arthroplasty in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), thereby opening the floodgates for explosive growth in outpatient total joint arthroplasty (TJA). About a million…
US House of Representatives moves to expand the use of telehealth beyond COVID-19
Editor's Note Leaders of the US House of Representatives telehealth caucus introduced legislation on July 16 to permanently open up access to telehealth services for Medicare patients, the July 16 Fierce Healthcare reports. The bipartisan bill will eliminate restrictions on use in Medicare patients, and it will provide a bridge…
AHA: COVID-19 to cost hospitals $323 billion
Editor's Note The American Hospital Association on June 30 released a report on the financial strain facing hospitals and health systems because of COVID-19, with total losses expected to be at least $323 billion in 2020. The total included $120.5 billion in financial losses that hospitals are predicted to see…
Declines in patient visits during COVID-19 projected to cost primary care $15 B
Editor's Note Harvard Medical School researchers are projecting that primary care practices will lose more than $15 billion by the end of the year. Because of the steep decline in office visits and fee for service payments from March to May, primary care practices are expected to lose more than…
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