Medicaid enrollment drops, but many newly insured patients switch to commercial plans
Medicaid enrollment peaked at 94.5 million in April 2023, but after the unwinding process, it fell to 79.3 million in October 2024, with over 25 million people disenrolled, but overall enrollment only decreased by about 13 million due to enrollment of newly eligible.
States push to limit hospital prices amid public discontent
Several state legislatures are advancing bills to restrict hospital prices or charges, amid rising public upset with healthcare cost increases, with varying approaches including price caps, penalties, and facility fees.
Trump administration cuts to CMS staff raise concerns from Democratic lawmakers
Democrats are pushing back against the Trump administration's cuts to CMS' 6,700-employee staff, which they claim may adversely affect the functioning of the U.S. healthcare system, citing concerns that the firings will have a direct and negative impact on the health care of millions of Americans.
What Medicaid cuts hospital executives see as more likely
Health system leaders are urging Congress to minimize Medicaid cuts, with enrollee-focused cuts such as work requirements and tightening of enrollment standards for criteria and verification being more likely at this point.
Medicaid cuts could lead to material negative impact on healthcare providers
Congressional Republicans are considering Medicaid cuts, which could be "materially negative" for providers, according to a debt rating service, with potential reductions in federal funding for Medicaid and changes to implementation such as work requirements or culling of fraudulent expenditures.
Potential government changes are top concern for healthcare finance professionals
Potential government and regulatory changes have become the leading concern for healthcare finance professionals, with a 36% increase in the latest HFMA member poll, while transparency push and AI and automation are expected to revolutionize healthcare finance in the next three years.
Congress could target $35 billion in Medicaid for undocumented patients
The House of Representatives is considering up to $880 billion in Medicaid cuts over the next 10 years, which could include funding for undocumented immigrant care, as well as reducing the federal share of Medicaid funding to any state that uses state-only funding to provide Medicaid coverage to undocumented immigrants.
Q&A: CFO details how one health system digests Trump policies
The University of Rochester Medical Center is taking a measured approach to responding to the flurry of healthcare initiatives from the Trump administration, recognizing the need for efficiency and sustainability in the face of potential cuts to indirect cost rates for NIH grants.
Fraud and waste in Medicaid: Congressional panel calls for legislative action
The first hearing of Congress’ new government efficiency panel featured a large focus on needed changes to Medicaid. The newly created House Oversight Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE) Subcommittee held a hearing Feb. 12 on the $236 billion in 2023 federal improper payments, including fraud, and featured testimony from several witnesses long-experienced in leading anti-fraud…
Hospital industry on track to reach dangerous occupancy levels by 2032
Hospital industry is facing a potential crisis as demographic trends and hospital-bed capacity levels are expected to push the industry to dangerous levels of occupancy, potentially surpassing 85% by 2032, according to a research letter published by JAMA Network Open.