Blog

As hospitals, physician groups and other providers, such as FQHCs and ambulatory surgery centers, seek to access Covid-19 relief through the CARES Act, there is confusion as applicants work to determine eligibility, timing, distribution of funds and more. Adding to the complexity, there are additional sources of funding announced, with more federal legislation in development. […]

Covid-19 will have a lasting transformative impact on how health care is delivered in the U.S. The crisis has expedited the movement of care from hospitals and clinics to the community and home via remote technology, as providers build their telehealth and home-based care management capabilities. At the same time, the federal government has relaxed […]

Health systems, hospitals and other organizations need to start tracking the financial impact of COVID-19 immediately to obtain available funding. Many of the allocations “are to remain available until fully committed and expended.” This means, “first come, first serve.” There are critical revenue loss and COVID-19 related cost identification, tracking, reporting and audit readiness activities […]

Last week, the federal government passed a $2.2 trillion federal emergency package as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The stimulus provides significant funding for providers, hospitals and health systems reeling from the operational and financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Crucially, the package includes $100 billion in an emergency […]

Hospitals, state associations and other stakeholders need to be prepared to address the negative financial impacts associated with the COVID-19 pandemic as it continues to have a widespread impact on our health care system. Many hospitals are likely to experience severe financial challenges, requiring financial assistance from federal, state and local governments in order to […]

On March 22, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) offered some relief for the clinicians, providers, and facilities participating in Medicare quality reporting programs – including the 1.2 million clinicians in the Quality Payment Program and those fighting coronavirus (COVID-19). This unprecedented action by CMS has been applauded by the American Medical […]

Innovation in health information technology, coupled with challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, provides an opportunity for hospitals and health systems to use telemedicine to support patient care. Health care organizations can use two complementary types of telemedicine to staff shortages and keep patients away from the hospital during this public health emergency: episodic telehealth […]

Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures In merely days, COVID-19 evolved from an international concern to a national emergency here in the United States. As of March 23, 2020, over 38,000 community-acquired cases have been confirmed nationwide, amidst very limited testing. Public health officials and hospital administrators across the country are on high alert, frantically […]

On March 13, 2020, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency over the novel coronavirus, making $50 billion available for aid. This includes a requirement for all hospitals to enact their emergency preparedness/operations plans while lifting some regulatory barriers to care delivery that might impede successful crisis response. This crisis triggers a cascade of activities […]

An influential nonprofit hospital critic, Republican Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee Chuck Grassley, asked the IRS in 2019 to probe whether the hospitals are living up to their charitable obligations.1 Senator Grassley helped enact requirements included in the Affordable Care Act and set standards for nonprofit hospitals and information they’re required to disclose. Nonprofit hospitals are […]