ACOs Lowered Spending in Rural, Underserved Areas
Medicare Shared Savings Program ACOs can lower Medicare spending in rural areas, suggests a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Behavioral Healthcare Top Reason Members Seek Telehealth Treatment
Telehealth continues to grow rapidly in both availability and popularity for members with behavioral healthcare needs. The use of telehealth grew 624% from 2014 to 2018, according to a new study from FAIR Health.
ACOs with Multiple EHRs Struggle with IT Health Care Coordination
ACOs connected by a single EHR were more successful at care coordination, though most also supplement their EHR platform with other tools and technology, according to a report from HHS' Office of Inspector General.
Lower Healthcare Costs by Paying Patients to Shop
Paying patients to shift to lower-price providers could be a successful option for helping employers and insurers lower healthcare costs, a new study in Health Affairs suggests.
CMS Updates Opioid Mapping Tool
CMS updated its Opioid Prescribing Mapping Tool to give users a more in-depth look at opioid prescribing rates across the U.S., the agency announced Feb. 22.
Trends: Increase in Opioid-related Hospital Stays for Older Patients
Among patients ages 65 and older, the rate of opioid-related hospitalizations jumped 34 percent between 2010 and 2015, according to statistical brief from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
50 States Ranked by Opioid Overdose Death Rates
West Virginia has the highest rate of fatal opioid overdoses among U.S. states, with 49.6 per 100,000 individuals, according to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Americans Believe Healthcare is in ‘State of Crisis’
Seven in 10 Americans identified the U.S. healthcare system as being "in a state of crisis" or having "major problems" during a recent Gallup poll.
CMS Reveals New Direction for MSSP Which Adds Risk on ACOs
CMS announced a “new direction” for the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) dubbed “Pathways to Success.”
23 Risks for Healthcare Organizations in 2019
In the upcoming year, persistent uncertain and risk is projected for the US healthcare organizations. Revenue cycle issues such as denials management and patient access are among the risk areas for healthcare organizations next year, according to an analysis from Crowe, a public accounting, consulting and technology firm.