Health Systems, Patient Care Impacted By Rising Claim Denial Rates
Modern Healthcare draws attention to a “significant” rise in denied insurance claims over the past year, which has increased administrative work, reduced hospital cash flow, and delayed patient care. Separately, Axios reports on how medical inflation is affecting big employers.
Modern Healthcare:
Insurance Claim Denial Rates Rising As Health Systems Struggle
Health systems across the country have experienced a significant rise in denied claims over the past year, leading to more administrative work for providers, less cash flow for hospitals and, in some cases, postponed patient care. (Devereaux, 11/21)
More on the cost of coverage —
Axios:
How Medical Inflation Is Ensnaring Big Employers
A convergence of factors driving up health costs is threatening to make next year a very pricey one for big employers, forcing some to make difficult tradeoffs and eat some of the added expense. (Reed and Gonzalez, 11/21)
North Carolina Health News:
More Than 2 Million Medicare Enrollees Face Crucial Choices
With a Dec. 7 deadline approaching, North Carolinians older than 65 are dealing with choices for 2023 between health insurance coverage under traditional Medicare or for one of 150 options on a growing list of privately run Medicare Advantage plans statewide. (Goldsmith, 11/22)
Stat:
The Case For Universal Oral Health Coverage, According To The WHO
On Friday, oral health advocates across the globe got an early holiday gift from their longtime wish lists. They had been waiting their whole careers — for some STAT spoke with, up to nearly half a century — for oral health to be folded into conversations calling for health care access for all. The World Health Organization’s new Global Oral Health Status report took that first step. (Castillo, 11/21)
In other health care industry news —
Modern Healthcare:
Intermountain Healthcare Posts $2.16B Profit Through 3rd Quarter
Intermountain Healthcare continues to make money during a difficult stretch for the hospital sector, recording $2.16 billion in net income for the first nine months of the year, according an unaudited financial report issued Thursday. (Hudson, 11/21)
Modern Healthcare:
Providence Closes 27 Southern California Retail Clinics
Renton, Washington-based Providence closed all 27 of its Providence ExpressCare facilities on Nov. 17 after the Southern California retail clinics posted “unprecedented operating losses” amid labor shortages, inflation, supply chain disruption, lower-than-expected volumes and a more competitive retail clinic sector, the spokesperson said. (Kacik, 11/21)