Free Revenue Cycle e-Newsletters

APCs Weekly Monitor CDI Strategies Coding Educator Compliance Monitor Healthcare Auditing Weekly HealthLeaders Media Corner Office HealthLeaders Media Finance JustCoding News: Inpatient Medicare Weekly Update Patient Access Weekly Advisor Patient Financial Services Weekly Advisor The RAC Report

Patient Financial Services Weekly Advisor

Looking to improve your facility's bottom line and more effectively manage your patient financial services department? Get this free weekly e-mail that provides tips, advice and real-world strategies.

2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004

Patient Financial Services Weekly Advisor

Issue 104, January 9, 2009

• CMS releases updated RAC demonstration report

  These CMS numbers will make associations like the California Hospital Association happy. The CHA...

• RAC automated reviews

  You need answers as the RAC nationwide project looms. Here’s one.

• Download these Revenue Cycle Institute white papers

  In the back end, you pretty much need a grasp of every function that is the Revenue Cycle. Check...

Issue 103, January 2, 2009

• Gaps in Medicaid coverage may cause increased hospitalizations

  A five-year retrospective study published recently in the Annals of Internal Medicine proposes that...

• Three more sentenced in Miami for Medicare fraud

  Ana Alvarez-Jacinto and Sandra Mateos were sentenced to 30 years in prison for their involvement in...

• Download these Revenue Cycle Institute white papers

  The Revenue Cycle Institute announces new and updated white papers available for download. In...

• Specifics about the 2009 Physician Quality Reporting Program now available

  2009 Physician Quality Reporting Program (PQRI) is available on the CMS Web site, including the...

Issue 19, May 15, 2009

• Trustees: Medicare Part A fund will go broke by 2017

  Medicare's going broke even faster than analysts first thought.

Issue 18, May 15, 2009

• E-newsletter news from HCPro, Inc.

  This is the last issue of Patient Financial Services Weekly Advisor.

• Recovery Audit Contractor Defense conference recordings available

  All you need to know about RACs -- from our live event.

Issue 17, May 8, 2009

• E-newsletter news from HCPro, Inc.

  Patient Financial Services Weekly Advisor readers will be transferred to another e-newsletter.

• Obama’s budget targets healthcare improvements

  Obama's budget is out -- and healthcare is definitely affected.

• Don’t delay because of red flags rule delay

  Red Flags Rule has been delayed. You better not.

Issue 16, May 1, 2009

• HIPAA and the HITECH Act

  You can never know enough about HIPAA.

• Patient access benchmarks. Take our survey!

  We want to know how you get to your benchmarks.

• Senate approves Fraud Act

  Congress is one step closer to approving a fraud act that could affect healthcare.

Issue 15, April 24, 2009

• HINNs case study of success

  We would love to hear about your HINNs success story.

• Patient access benchmarks. Take our survey!

  We want to know how and what you benchmark for your patient access department.

• Open Door Forum conference call rescheduled for May 6

  Mark this date for the next CMS Open Door Forum.

• Business associates: HIPAA survey

  What are your business associates' needs for HIPAA training, in light of the new HIPAA laws and...

Issue 14, April 17, 2009

• HINNs case study of success

  If your department has had solid returns working with the HINN, we'd love to know about it.

• CMS updates RAC outreach schedule, FAQs

  Get the updates on the RAC outreach schedule and FAQs from CMS.

• Did you know . . . Five CMS RAC Open Door Forum facts

  RACs receive the same contingency fee regardless of whether they identify over- or underpayments.

Issue 13, April 10, 2009

• HINNs case study of success

  If you facility has had success using the HINN form, we'd like to know about it.

• Tell us your story, win a prize from PARC

  Got a strong patient access department? Let us hear about it.

• CMS Open Door Forum conference call rescheduled for April 22

  Get ready for the next CMS Open Door Forum call.

• Red Flags Rule guidance published

  Red Flags Rule compliance is May 1. Good news: FTC just came out with some helpful guidance.

Issue 12, April 3, 2009

• Billing post-denials

  Billing post denials is no joke. Check out this post on our Patient Access Resource Center.

• Q&A: RACs and critical access hospitals

  Will RACs come after critical access hospitals?

• Tip: Find out how non-hospital providers can get the RAC education they need

  It's time to get non-hospital providers the education they need regarding RACs.

Issue 11, March 27, 2009

• Accurate edits return $$$

  One vital step in the revenue cycle program tends to be ignored or is inadequate – proper...

• Tell us your story, win a prize from PARC

  Access week is coming up. We want to know about the best of the best on your staff.

• New provider posts on PARC!

  Check out the interaction of your colleagues on our patient access Web site.

• Q&A: Discounting practices

  You can never be sure enough that your discounting practices are compliant.

Issue 10, March 20, 2009

• Revenue Cycle Institute update

  Check out this new tool to help your quality assurance checks with your patient access departments.

• New provider posts on PARC!

  Check out what your colleagues are saying on our Patient Access Resource Center.

• Note: Hospitals must submit Medicare Advantage claims as far back as October 2005

  Earlier this month, CMS published Transmittal 1695 to the Claims Processing Manual, reaching back...

Issue 9, March 13, 2009

• Tell us your story, win a prize from PARC

  Your success story could be a feature on our Web site.

• New provider posts on PARC!

  Check out these new posts on our patient access Web site.

• Report: US healthcare a liability in global economy

  A new report confirms the belief of many healthcare analysts: The US is behind many countries...

Issue 8, March 6, 2009

• What do you think about the healthcare summit?

  What do you have to say about the White House healthcare summit?

• New provider posts on PARC!

  Learn about the most recent posts on the new Patient Access Resource Center blog.

• TIP: Make registration staff members feel like part of your revenue cycle

  One way to avoid mistakes by the time a claim comes to your business office is to educate the front...

Issue 7, February 27, 2009

• Obama's budget calls for thinner payments to hospitals

  U.S. President Barack Obama wants to expand healthcare to millions of Americans. He is willing to...

• Report: Medicare spending varies greatly

  Medicare spending is soaring and slipping -- it all depends on where you live in America.

• Bad debt in a shifting economy

  What impacts on bad debts are you seeing both because of the shifting economy and because of the...

Issue 6, February 20, 2009

• New provider posts on PARC!

  Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4...

• Study: Massachusetts health reform is a failed model

  Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4...

• WellPoint to fund insurance database

  Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4...

Issue 5, February 13, 2009

• New provider posts on PARC!

  Our new Web site dedicated to patient access and revenue cycle issue is heating up.

• CMS resolves RAC protest; permanent program moves forward

  Get ready. The RAC moratorium has been lifted.

• Finalized stimulus plan should land on President's desk Monday

  The economic stimulus bill Congress is passing may be on the President’s desk by Monday.

• Sample tools, e-mail news updates, and more

  Check out these updates to our Revenue Cycle Institute.

Issue 4, February 6, 2009

• Prepare for approaching ABN deadline

  The deadline for the new Advanced Notice Beneficiary form is approaching. This is what you need to...

• New and improved Patient Access Web site!

  Learn about our new and improved site for patient access managers.

• President signs SCHIP bill

  President Obama promised healthcare access to all Americans. He said this new law is the first step.

• Insurer backs out of Florida’s Medicaid Reform program

  A large insurer is backing out of a Medicaid program because of cuts in reimbursent by a state...

Issue 3, January 30, 2009

• Take note: 10 RAC facts to consider

  You can never get your hands on enough material to get you and your facility ready for a RAC audit...

• New and improved Patient Access Web site!

  Check out our new blog-geared Patient Access Resource Center!

• Patient access meets PFS

  When the front end and back end work together in the revenue cycle, the group as a whole is better...

• Americans could see premiums double

  Note to Americans: You will be digging deeper into your wallets for money for healthcare seven...

Issue 2, January 23, 2009

• ED bedside registration: When it does not work

  Bedside registration in the emergency department does not always work.

• Growing need for Medicaid strains states

  No jobs. More Medicaid. That?s what some states in this recession are finding out.

• Iowa hospitals’ uninsured patient numbers increase

  What happens to your revenue cycle when the uninsured patient visits the emergency department for...

Issue 1, January 16, 2009

• Coming soon

  This month, HCPro, Inc. will unveil a new look for the Patient Access Resource Center Web site. We...

• ED bedside registration

  ED bedside registration -- it's hit or miss. For this facility, it's the former.

• ED bedside registration

  ED bedside registration -- it's hit or miss. For this facility, it's the former.

• UnitedHealth to pay $350 million for settlement

  UnitedHealth Group Inc. will pay the price over class-action lawsuits on its out-of-network medical...

• House votes to expand child health insurance

  Barack Obama got an early wish from the House -- a yes vote on expanded health coverage for...

Issue 104, January 9, 2009

• Winner in patient access

  Working with the front end daily is a fact of life for patient financial services managers. Last...