Susan Morse

Author's posts

HHS extends public health emergency for another 90 days

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has announced a 90-day extension of the public health emergency that was due to expire on April 16. 
The PHE is being extended for the ninth time since January 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cases …

UConn Health improved revenue cycle ROI by tackling the patient financial journey 

UConn Health boosted its ROI in the revenue cycle by improving the patient billing and payment experience.
Sarah Ginnetti, associate vice president, Clinical Revenue Cycle at UConn Health   worked this past year to transform the patient financial journ…

Nursing homes to get pay decrease in CMS proposed rule

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is proposing a decrease in  skilled nursing facility payments by 4.6%, or $1.7 billion, in 2023 to achieve budget neutrality.
As a result, there will be a decrease of approximately $320 million in Medicare…

HHS is giving clear signals of wind down of public health emergency

The current public health emergency ends on April 16, with the federal government giving all indication of the coming end of the PHE, according to Michael P. Strazzella, head of Federal Government Relations at Buchanan Ingersoll and Rooney.

CMS proposes to delay start of the Radiation Oncology Model

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is proposing to delay the start date of the Radiation Oncology Model, to a date that will be determined through future rulemaking. 

Optum and Change Healthcare extend merger deadline ahead of trial

Optum and Change Healthcare are extending their merger agreement to the end of the year, ahead of their scheduled trial starting August 1.
The new merger deadline is December 31.
As part of the extension, Optum will pay a $650 million fee to Change Hea…

Treasury Department proposed rule would fix the ‘family glitch’ in the ACA

The Treasury Department is releasing a proposed rule to fix a problem in the Affordable Care Act called the “family glitch,” President Joe Biden said Tuesday, in a press briefing that included former President Barack Obama and Vice President Kamala Har…

Hospital spending growth to average 5.7% through 2030, according to CMS

Despite the increased demand for patient care in 2021, the growth in national healthcare spending is estimated to have slowed to 4.2%, from 9.7% in 2020, according to the 2021-2030 National Health Expenditure report released by the Centers for Medicare…

Medicare Advantage plans to get 8.5% revenue boost in 2023 

Medicare Advantage plan payments are expected to get an 8.5% revenue increase for 2023. This is an increase over the 7.98% proposed in the February advance notice.

HHS to stop reimbursing providers for vaccine administration

Providers are bracing for the end of government funds to administer COVID-19 vaccines.