Advanced Search

Practice Management Alert

Payer Updates:

Highmark, 2 Hospitals Talk Flat-Rate Reimbursement

Published on Sat Jan 23, 2010

Answer: Highmark and two Pennsylvania-based hospitals are in talks to change the reimbursement plans for those hospitals -- possibly to a flat rate for certain groups of people. Highmark, Beaver-Pa.-based Heritage Valley Health System, and Meadville Medical Center in Crawford County are discussing new payment options, according to the Pittsburgh Business Times. Options include the possibility of offering care to patients with chronic health problems and bundling payments for medical care to "a much larger group." Highmark's president and CEO, Kenneth Melani, MD, told the Times that he hopes the new payment method will make for better quality care that's more affordable. "We are trying to find integrated delivery systems," Melani said. "We are experimenting, which will become more aggressive in the next five years." No arrangements have been finalized. In other news: Six of the nation's largest insurers have been lashed by reports that they contributed between $10-$20 million to [...]
You’ve reached your limit of free articles. Already a subscriber? Log in.
Not a subscriber? Subscribe today to continue reading this article. Plus, you’ll get:
  • Simple explanations of current healthcare regulations and payer programs
  • Real-world reporting scenarios solved by our expert coders
  • Industry news, such as MAC and RAC activities, the OIG Work Plan, and CERT reports
  • Instant access to every article ever published in your eNewsletter
  • 6 annual AAPC-approved CEUs*
  • The latest updates for CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II, NCCI edits, modifiers, compliance, technology, practice management, and more
*CEUs available with select eNewsletters.

Other Articles in this issue of

Practice Management Alert

View All