Last year, local hospitals reported good records despite the challenges in revenue cycle management. Increasing operating costs, regulatory issues, flat reimbursements and the switch from patient volumes to lower-paying outpatient and observation services didn’t faze many healthcare providers. Thanks to a strong stock market and lower tax-exempt bond costs, hospitals continued to do well.
While this is good news, providers can’t be complacent now with the changes and regulations awaiting the Affordable Care Act. Under the Trump administration, the U.S. House Republicans recently gave the greenlight to a bill that would revise the 2009 Obamacare. It still needs to get the approval of the Senate, but many are concerned about the impact it will have if it’s passed.
Repealing the Expansion of Medicaid
One of the major concerns is Medicaid expansion. If the bill pushes through and removes that program, it will affect people who are enrolled in it, along with the revenue of their associated hospital. St. John Providence Health System in Warren, for example, has seven hospitals and 670,000 people enrolled in Medicaid. Non-profit hospitals like these will be the hardest hit when Medicaid expansion is repealed.
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