Recent News
A new era of health literacy - expanded definitions, digital influences and rural inequities
February 21, 2022
The languages of medicine. First, there is the jargon-packed peer-to-peer language used by healthcare providers to discuss patient care. Second comes an even more elaborate language dedicated to specialty medical care. A third language exists because of the MSDRG system, or Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Groups. Different from providers’ clinical language, it is a language that belongs to data collection and billing — but it is also a language that providers must master. Yet there is a fourth language that providers do understand — but don’t always speak fluently: the plain language used by their patients.
Read More!New ad campaign urges Congress to prevent pending Medicare cuts to hospitals and health systems
February 7, 2022
The Coalition to Protect America’s Health Care will launch a new TV ad urging Congress to act now to prevent pending Medicare cuts and ensure hospitals and health systems have the resources they need to care for their patients and communities.
Read More!Loan repayment for clinicians at health care facilities
January 24, 2022
Throughout the National Health Service Corps’ (NHSC) 50-year history, health care facilities have been essential partners in a shared mission of caring for the nation’s underserved and rural communities. Both programs are now accepting applications for loan repayment awards. With $1 billion in additional funding through the American Rescue Plan, HRSA is prepared to make a record number of awards. But with only a few weeks to go in the application cycles, we are well below our target for applications
Read More!Looking Ahead: Health Care Marketing Trends for 2022
January 24, 2022
Smith & Jones shares several trends that will be essential to healthcare marketing in the coming year.
Read More!5-star care: How to boost patient satisfaction scores
January 24, 2022
Physician reimbursement is being increasingly impacted by patient satisfaction scores. Once, this was something only hospitals had to worry about, but now it’s affecting practices of all sizes.
Read More!NHA member survey: health care business insights
January 17, 2022
We invite you to participate in Lutz’s healthcare business insights survey.
Read More!US Supreme Court allows CMS vaccine mandate to go into effect, but blocks OSHA vaccine-or-test mandate
January 17, 2022
Consistent with predictions following the oral argument, the U.S. Supreme Court in a 5-4 opinion allowed the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services vaccine mandate for health care workers to go into effect, but blocked the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s vaccine-or-test mandate by a 6-3 vote.
Read More!Nebraska Medicaid seeks community feedback on programs
January 17, 2022
Lincoln – Kevin Bagley, Director of the Division of Medicaid and Long-Term Care (MLTC) within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has announced a statewide listening tour for Medicaid's managed care program.
Read More!NHA launches new podcast
January 7, 2022
The Health of Our Hospitals, a new podcast produced by the NHA, will give listeners an inside look at the trends we are seeing in hospitals and health care in Nebraska, the Midwest, and across the country. We will talk to hospitals leaders and health care innovators shaping the future of the health care we will receive. We will also be joined by public officials and health policy leaders to talk about pending matters in the Nebraska Unicameral and on Capitol Hill.
Read More!CMS releases new guidance on No Surprises Act requirements
January 7, 2022
Effective Jan. 1, 2022, facilities and providers must adhere to several new policies required by the No Surprises Act. Specifically, facilities and providers will not be permitted to balance bill patients in certain out-of-network scenarios unless certain conditions are met, they must provide uninsured and self-pay patients with good faith estimates for most scheduled services (or upon request), and they must provide patients with disclosures of their new rights.
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