The Effects of a Trump Presidency on Value-Based Care and Healthcare Revenue Cycle Management

Differences in political opinion aside, the United States will undergo significant policy changes under a Trump administration. The Republican party say they want a total repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In reality, legislators know that a complete repeal is impossible without Democratic support and doing so would leave at least 20 million previously uninsured Americans, who were covered through health exchanges, without health insurance again.

For this reason, value-based care will most likely remain with some ACA changes affecting healthcare revenue cycle management.

Possible ACA Changes Under Trump’s Administration

A number of popular Republican provisions plan to revise the ACA. Republicans want to remove tax subsidies for premiums, decrease Medicaid expansion and reduce taxes levied to pay for some of the ACA’s provisions. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) talked about a framework for maintaining preventive services, population health management and provision of broad coverage. Read more from this blog: http://bit.ly/2m0QG1P

What is Revenue Cycle Management Going to Do For Hospitals for 2017 and Beyond?

According to research conducted by Zion Market Research, the global revenue cycle management market will enjoy an increase in its profit by the year 2020. This projection is relevant for institutions relying on this particular service because it is a clear indication of just how much stronger the need for revenue cycle management service is going to be.

Importance of Service

What is revenue cycle management (RCM) doing for institutions like hospitals? Plenty! They allow for a more streamlined and efficient process from the moment a patient checks into their system up until their insurance is taken care of and their billing transaction is finalized. With shake-ups in the Affordable Care Act practically guaranteed under this new administration, however, the need for a more adaptive system for healthcare institutions has become more crucial than ever.

While the ACA is suffering from great uncertainty, your hospital could not afford the same. Now more than ever, RCM services can help mitigate the impact of an otherwise confusing set of changes expected to hit the healthcare system soon. Read more from this blog: http://bit.ly/2mBhbry

How Will the Social Security Reform Act of 2016 Affect Social Security Disability Eligibility?

According to the Social Security Board of Trustees, the program is running out of money and if nothing is done, they would have exhausted their $2.8 trillion cash reserves by 2034. This is why last December 2016, Rep. Sam Johnson introduced a proposed plan to Congress that he believes would save Social Security in the form of Social Security Reform Act of 2016 (SSRA).

Under the current program, people with physical or mental impairments that prevent them from fulfilling various activities and tasks can seek help from the Social Security Act. They can receive compensation, monthly benefits and Medicare assistance, depending on their income level. Even their family members who are approved beneficiaries can also get the benefits from the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

While most of these still stay the same, many of the proposed changes of the current SSRA 2016 bill involve cost-cutting measures to make sure that the program remains solvent. Read more from this blog: http://bit.ly/2jkQYQV

Neurological Criteria Updates for Disability Social Security You Should Know About

Neurological disorders are perhaps some of the most frightening illnesses because of their varying symptoms and ongoing debates about how to treat them correctly. Fortunately, social security disability is available for people suffering from disorders like chronic migraines, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease. Yet, there is still confusion about eligibility for such benefits because Social Security has recently updated their listings for the first time in 30 years.

Updated Criteria

A lot of changes have been made to the criteria of neurological disorders. Disorganization of motor function, for example, can now be fulfilled by the inability to stand up from a seated position and the inability to use the upper extremities or maintain balance when walking.  Read more from this blog: http://bit.ly/2jkPuFZ

How Doctors Are Being Affected by the Affordable Care Act Marketplace

The healthcare industry is constantly going through changes, especially in regards to the healthcare marketplace. Policies and regulations are compelled to evolve because of the requirements of the Affordable Care Act.

This adds pressure to everyone involved, especially doctors who are struggling to keep up with the increasing number of patients who may default on their payments.

Doctors Leaving Their Practices to Become Hospital Employees

The Affordable Care Act, signed into law in 2010, has caused a lot of hospitals to buy up physician practices. This practice, enacted all over the United States, helps hospitals fall in line with a system that reimburses based on quality of care and outcomes. This varies from models in the past, which relied on a traditional fee-for-service system. The end result is doctors transitioning to an employee role. But why are doctors selling their practice when they are potentially giving up a lot of freedom and control? Read more from this blog: http://bit.ly/2jkVuP6

Factors in Determining Eligibility for Medicaid to Make the Process Easier

 

 

 

Medicaid provides health assistance to more than 72.5 million Americans who don’t have the financial capacity to pay for the treatment they need. Together with the Children’s Health Insurance Program, Medicaid covers a variety of patient groups, including pregnant women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities.

While the Affordable Care Act of 2010 has expanded the coverage to almost all low-income Americans aged 65 and below in all states, there are still eligibility requirements hospitals must follow. Understanding the factors that affect eligibility will help hospitals avoid errors and fast track the process. Read more from this blog: http://bit.ly/2jkPLZv

What You Need to Know about Medicaid Changes for your Eligibility for Social Security Disability

Changes happen in many industries, particularly the healthcare field. Medicaid, in particular, is about to get a facelift, thanks to the new president in charge and new agendas set forth by the Republicans. These changes are positioned to affect many aspects of healthcare, even social security disability.

Decreased Funding

With President Trump’s ascent into the White House comes a drastic transformation in Medicaid. These changes are a direct response to what many Republicans are calling an inefficient and bloated system, designed for individuals who are severely over the poverty line. This has caused an increase in federal government spending, and more pressure on Medicaid to accept this large influx of people.

President Trump plans to offset this influx by decreasing federal funding, offering more state control, and allowing fewer participants into the program. Perhaps the most consequential change is the flexibility that states now have. Instead of the federal government controlling enrollment, states receive a fixed amount and get to decide how to administer it. This flexibility gives them the ability to experiment, seeing what method works best to provide low-income individuals with healthcare. Read more from this blog: http://bit.ly/2jkXE18

Five Hospital Revenue Cycle Management Challenges Healthcare Providers Face

 

 

 

While the Affordable Care Act aims to provide health assistance to millions of Americans, it also poses challenges to hospitals in terms of their revenue cycle management. With the growing number in enrollments, financial pressure from the program is increasing as well. Revenue cycle is also continuously evolving. This means that hospitals should keep adjusting their internal systems to adapt to the changes. Otherwise, errors are bound to happen, which would hinder their growth.

Hiring trusted professionals in this field can help hospitals address these common challenges that can definitely get in the way of treating patients efficiently. Read more from this blog: http://bit.ly/2k7rLGG

How Your Hospital can Help Patients with New Health Insurance Marketplace Coverage Options

A major concern for patients searching the health insurance marketplace is the cost of premiums, which are the out-of-pocket costs that are paid for health coverage. As of 2016, premiums are expected to rise above the regular inflation rate because medical claim costs will rise by 7 to 10 percent, according to a study.

Drug prices are also rising, causing premiums to go up. In 2017, premium plans sold through HealthCare.gov are expected to rise by 22 percent. Fortunately for your hospital, there are many ways you can combat rising premiums so that both patients and your hospital come out on the winning side.

Preventative Care

A lot of hospitals are starting to put a huge emphasis on preventative care through wellness programs, education and proper diet. These tactics help patients save money on repeat visits, which can be easily avoided with the proper preventive measures. Preventing patient readmission is also important for your hospital because it helps you avoid wasting resources consequently lowering your annual expenditures.
Read more from this blog: http://bit.ly/2k7rJyy

New Technologies That May Affect Your Healthcare Revenue Cycle Management for the Better

Throughout time, technology has changed the way people live. This prominently occurs in the healthcare industry, which has a constantly changing landscape that relies on technology for so many things. If your hospital is to have success and grow as a result of new technological advances, you need to be aware of the following trends.

Revolutionary Software

The truth is, human error is always going to affect hospitals’ profits and, ultimately, healthcare revenue cycle management. These errors generally occur in the patient intake process, as there is a lot of patient information to document and keep up with. It’s only natural that errors sometimes occur throughout the day. Fortunately, new and improved software are being developed to reduce these errors so hospitals can generate maximum profits.  Read more from this blog: http://bit.ly/2jkXlDE

How Social Security Disability for Children is Benefiting from Additional Congressional Funding

Children with disabilities face lots struggles in their daily lives. That’s why social security disability was invented, so people, including children, facing such challenges can receive financial and medical support. The good news keeps coming, fortunately, because several trends, in terms of funding and new apps, are making it even easier for children to receive disability benefits.

Funding to Clear Hearing Backlog

The major concern for children applying for disability benefits is how long the process takes. In most cases, it could take anywhere from 30-90 days. Of course, this depends on whether or not there were errors made on the application and what type of disability the child has. Some conditions like ADHD, for example, are harder to prove and diagnose so the decision may take a little longer to receive.

This may not be the case for much longer, though. It appears the long line of claimants waiting for their hearings has caught the attention of Congress. Congress has decided to allocate $150 million to activities that address this hearing backlog. This federal administration funding is expected to run through April 28, 2017.  Read more from this blog: http://bit.ly/2k7kRkC

What Is Revenue Cycle Management and How Does It Encourage Patient Loyalty?

In today’s competitive healthcare industry, patient loyalty has become very important in defining what is revenue cycle management success in your hospital. It’s no longer just about treating patients and sending them on their way. Today, you also have to focus on ensuring good patient experience so that they will readily come to your facility again when they are in need of a consultation or even emergency health care. On the other hand, revenue cycle management, which includes patient intake to billing and anything in between, must be improved to gain your patients’ trust.

Across just about any industry today, establishing loyalty among customers is key to making sure that a company would always hit its targets when it comes to both revenue and profit. After all, patient collections will go much more smoothly with a patient who is loyal to your healthcare facility.

Establishing loyalty with every single patient takes time, but there are several ways to encourage it while he or she is still being treated in your facility. Read more from this blog: http://bit.ly/2jkUlqV