The financial challenges faced by safety net hospitals are of national concern. This is particularly true as Medicaid reimbursement rates and state aid for hospitals that serve diverse patient populations continue to fall short of what is needed. Safety net hospitals were also dealt a blow from Washington in recent days as we brace for nearly a $1 billion reduction in aid to close payment gaps for those who can’t afford medical care.
Greater funding and changes to several of Virginia’s Medicaid programs may be on their way after the General Assembly adopted long-delayed amendments to the state’s two-year budget last Wednesday.
The changes range from an increase in disability waiver slots and higher reimbursement rates for health care and disability service providers to modifying an emergency room use policy and requiring prior authorization for certain diabetic and weight loss drugs.
"Since the pandemic, we know that things have changed drastically for healthcare," Christina Campos said, speaking to the committee during its Aug. 23 meeting at New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas. "You've got the huge increases in prices, you’ve got labor shortages, you’ve got labor cost increases as well. A lot of the programs from CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) have changed; the rules and regulations of how money is matched and distributed back to hospitals have changed."
A California hospital arguing that the Department of Health and Human Services undercounted the number of its Medicare patients entitled to benefits can proceed to seek reimbursement from the agency.
Nebraska Medicine says starting next month, you may have to pay for some messages to your doctor. The health care system said most messages will stay free.