Medicare Price Cuts May Slow Total Overall Hospital Spending Growth

Pathologists and clinical laboratory managers will want to stay abreast of what emerging data is revealing about the broader impact of slowed growth in Medicare spending Contrary to the predictions of some analysts, a recent study suggests that slowing Medicare price growth by lowering hospital reimbursements will slow hospital utilization and spending for all age groups. For pathologists and clinical laboratory managers, the study represents credible evidence that cuts in Medicare prices...

American Hospital Association Says Medicare’s Value-Based Purchasing Could Put Hospital Revenue at Risk

Where hospital margins to be squeezed, that would place hospital laboratories under greater budget constraints Hospitals are honing in on Medicare’s new value-based purchasing program quality metrics in an effort to improve patient care—and earn reimbursement rewards. Clinical laboratory managers and pathologists will want to track implementation of this program, because it is one further step forward in Medicare’s plan to move away from fee-for-service reimbursement. As part of its effort to...

Hospitals, Physicians, and Clinical Pathology Laboratories Scramble to Prepare for Use of Form 5010 Beginning January 1, 2012

Some medical laboratory organizations risk coming up short on the deadline for implementation of 5010 standards Less than eight weeks remain before the January 1, 2012, deadline for implementation of Form 5010. Every sector of the healthcare system—from government and private payers to hospitals, physicians, pathologists, and clinical laboratories—is involved in this important healthcare reform. Many providers and payers are scrambling to meet the Health Insurance Portability and...

Come 2012, Clinical Pathology Laboratories Will Need to Support Accountable Care Organizations

New Federal Mandate Will Make ACO-Based Provider Networks Responsible for Improving Quality and Cutting Costs Pathologists and clinical laboratories are positioned to benefit from the provision in the Affordable Care Act of 2010 that is intended to reduce the cost of healthcare. It is the provision which authorizes the use of  “accountable care organizations” (ACOs) and will be triggered in 2012. Accountable care organizations are not yet a well-defined concept. ACOs are recognized to have...
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