Uncertainty Over Funding For Medicare Programs Has Rural Hospitals On Edge
Congress has lagged in renewing extenders for programs that the hospitals rely on. "It's very devastating," said Maggie Elehwany of the National Rural Health Association.
Modern Healthcare:
Rural Hospitals Feel The Squeeze As Medicare Extender Funding In Flux
As Congress considers waiting until January to fund expired Medicare programs, the continued uncertainty already roils rural hospitals. The Medicare dependent hospital program and the low-volume adjustment are among the Medicare provisions that must be regularly renewed by Congress, but expired on Sept. 30, known as extenders. These are mandatory appropriations, but Congress has to agree to make them through legislation and the hope was that they would ride along with the Children's Health Insurance Program in the last spending bill of the year. (Luthi, 12/13)
In other Medicare news —
Modern Healthcare:
60% Of Medical Practices' Medicare Revenue Expected To Be Risk-Based By 2019
By 2019, nearly 60% of medical practices' Medicare revenue will come from pay models that require the providers to take downside risk, according to a new survey of AMGA members released Wednesday. Overall, if Medicare Advantage, bundled payments and Medicare accountable care organizations are factored together, alternatives to Medicare fee-for-service, or FFS, are predicted to account for 59% of AMGA member's revenue by 2019, compared to 53% in 2017. (Dickson, 12/13)
