For all Kansas Critical Access Hospitals (CAH), the SFY 2019 Disproportionate Share (DSH) and Uncompensated Care (UCC) payment survey is expected to be sent by the end of May. If a CAH has not completed this survey in the past, this is an opportunity for hospitals to receive a DSH payment for…

Physician compensation is changing as hospitals rapidly acquire physician practices and reimbursement levels decline.  Hospitals are looking for new methods of compensation that tie their pay to productivity, on-call coverage and quality measures. Below are trends affecting the physician compensation today…

There are certain things in life and in the healthcare industry that we can trust: (1) the sun will rise in the east and set in the west, and (2) as a hospital or clinic, your primary source of income is the payment you receive from third party payors…

CMS recently introduced the new Medicare Cost Report e-Filing system (MCReF). In an effort to standardize, automate, and streamline the cost report process, providers now have the option as of 5/1/2018 to electronically submit the Medicare cost report packet through an online portal…

Social Security Numbers are being removed from Medicare cards, including Railroad Retirement, to prevent fraud, fight identity theft, and keep taxpayer dollars safe. Medicare patients in the Midwest (Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas North and South Dakota) will receive new Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) numbers…

Anesthesia billing and CRNA pass-through can be complicated. We have outlined information below related to billing for Anesthesia services or CRNA pass through as a tip sheet for providers to review and reference when questions arise in this area…

Through our work with critical access hospitals and other medical facilities, we have identified several areas where charge capture may be an issue. Below is checklist items for providers to review to ensure that charges are being captured and revenue realized. Charge capture is a patient specific process and it can be dependent on payer specific guidelines…

Medicare patients in the Midwest (Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas North and South Dakota) will receive new Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) numbers & cards beginning in June 2018. The current Medicare number and the new Medicare number will both be accepted until January 2020…

As the clock ticks toward the compliance date for the landmark revenue recognition standard, the FASB is highlighting major changes in store for certain industries. This article explains how the new standard will change how hospitals, clinics and other health care organizations will recognize bad debts — but it’s just the tip of the iceberg…