Why are more RAC audits happening? There are trillions of reasons
By
John O'Connor
Sep 10, 2012
Recovery audit contractors are stepping up their efforts to review Medicare billings. This appears to be a classic case of auditors gone wild.
Hard to duck painful cuts, AHCA head says
By
John O'Connor
Nov 02, 2012
Of all the uncertainties in politics, one thing is concrete: When the November elections are over, a lame duck period will have officially begun in Washington.
Regardless of fiscal cliff outcome, funding cuts loom
By
John O'Connor
Nov 26, 2012
We’re hearing much out of Washington these days about the looming fiscal cliff. Assessments about its impact run the gamut from no big deal to very big deal. As is usually the case, the truth is...
Obama seeks bipartisanship, so long as it happens his way
By
John O'Connor
Mar 02, 2013
In a State of the Union address that largely touted objectives favored by Democrats, President Obama called on Republicans to be less partisan.
RAC audits often inaccurate, group claims
By
John O'Connor
Dec 02, 2012
A major hospital group has called for a federal investigation into mistakes made by recovery audit contractors.
Lawmakers demand answers about rating system quirks
By
John O'Connor
Oct 01, 2014
After The New York Times noted that providers are apparently gaming the Five Star rating system by enhancing staffing and quality data, federal lawmakers quickly put an indignant pen to paper.
Medicare, Medicaid likely to start requiring tech tool use
By
John O'Connor
Sep 01, 2013
As sharing of electronic health information becomes standard across all care settings, using technology may become a prerequisite for providers to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs, according...
This cliffhanger shows few signs of a happy ending
By
John O'Connor
Oct 19, 2012
If you are hoping to learn before the Nov. 6 election whether planned federal budget cuts might be avoided, I have some advice: forget about it.
Enforcement of privacy rules now delayed until March 31
By
John O'Connor
Feb 01, 2013
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has pushed back enforcement of two electronic healthcare transaction rules by three months, the agency announced in January. That gives providers until March...
Survey: More nursing homes are considering e-prescribing
By
John O'Connor
Sep 01, 2011
Most facility operators responding to a new survey say that their next technology-related purchase will be an e-prescribing system. That’s according to findings relayed in the Aug. 9 McKnight’s...