Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trinity Health Will Offer To Pay Employees On Daily Basis
Grand Rapids Business Journal: Trinity Health Michigan Offers Employees Daily Pay Option In 2023
Trinity Health soon will offer employees the option to be paid by the day, a new effort by the major healthcare system to attract and retain employees and provide its workforce another option for financial stability. The U.S. healthcare system is struggling to maintain employees at all levels as nurses, physicians and even CEOs struggle with burnout and battle to bounce back from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Poirier, 12/15)
Las Vegas Review-Journal: Hundreds Picket Outside Las Vegas Hospital For New Union Contract
For the second time in recent months, more than a hundred picketers were outside Valley Hospital Medical Center Thursday demanding a fair contract for hospital support staff. About 90 support staff at the medical center have been in contract negotiations since the end of 2016. They claim their wages have stagnated and they fear a reduction of benefits could happen. (Hemmersmeier, 12/15)
Axios: Non-Profit Hospitals' Staffing Woes Ease, New Research Shows
Despite the "tripledemic" and continued high employee turnover, non-profit hospitals' staffing crunch is showing signs of lifting, Fitch Ratings concludes. Fitch cites Bureau of Labor Statistics data showing hospital and ambulatory health services payrolls increased by 11,000 and 23,300, respectively, from October to November while job openings for the health and social assistance sector declined in October. (Bettelheim, 12/15)
In other health care industry news —
Modern Healthcare: Mayo Clinic's Billing Practices In Question By Minnesota Attorney General
The office of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) is looking into Mayo Clinic's billing practices after a local media outlet reported the health system sued low-income patients for unpaid balances. The Rochester Post Bulletin, which published the investigation last month, interviewed 20 sued patients and found 14 appeared to have been eligible for free or discounted services. (Hudson, 12/15)
Modern Healthcare: Massachusetts Blue Cross Unveils ‘Pay-For-Equity’ Program
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts has entered into value-based arrangements with four health systems including Mass General Brigham and Boston Medical Center that offer financial incentives for eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities in outpatient care. (Hartnett, 12/15)
