HFMA's Voices in Healthcare Finance

HFMA senior editors Nick Hut and Rich Daly discuss what's likely to come in 2025 with regard to healthcare policy.

Dr. Daniel Semenza of the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center discusses the ripple effects of gun violence. HFMA's Nick Hut and Shawn Stack talk about the appointments of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Mehmet Oz.

Dr. Daniel Semenza, director of interpersonal violence research at the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center at Rutgers University, discusses the intersection of public health and gun violence and reveals what society gets wrong in its discussion of the subject.

HFMA Senior Editor Nick Hut and HFMA Policy Director Shawn Stack discuss the latest in healthcare finance news including pre-election thoughts, a new Medicare appeals process and application of the two-midnight rule.

Dr. Kamal Golla is back on the podcast this week discussing the financial considerations for patients and their care team after a cancer diagnosis.

Laura Osborne and John Reeves discuss the unique challenges of tribal health and what other healthcare organizations can learn from their experiences. In the Beyond the News segment, Nick Hut and Shawn Stack provide an update on price transparency regulations.

Nick Hut and Shawn Stack discuss the continuing bankruptcy proceedings of Steward Health Care and refusal of system CEO Ralph de la Torre to testify before the Senate.

Erika is joined by Quintin Maidment, a vice president at CTRx Pathways, to discuss why diversity is critical in clinical drug trials and what barriers stand in the way. In the Beyond the News segment, Nick and Shawn discuss the controversy around efforts by Johnson & Johnson to create a rebate program around 340B drug pricing.

HFMA Senior Editor Paul Barr talks with health system CEO Alan Kaplan about how an improv class helped him advance his career.

In the most recent episode of HFMA's Healthcare Blame Game podcast, editor, professor, author, columnist and commentator Otis Sanford talks with Brad about decades of change in the journalism industry, and how reporter biases and opinions are seeping into healthcare news writing. Also in this episode, people who celebrate meeting their deductible, and a special musical treat. Mentioned in this episode: Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics

In the final series of interviews from HFMA's Annual Conference, Erin Weber of CAQH discusses how providers can participate in the work of setting best practice guidelines, and Lori Zindl of OS Inc. and Rachel Dallman of Phelps Memorial Health Center talk about opportunities to learn from analytics.

Deepak Manmohan Goyal, MD, MBBS, MBA, joins Brad and Erika at HFMA Annual on June 27, 2024, to discuss his work as executive director for revenue cycle and supply chain at Monument Health in Rapid City, S.D. and the financial assistance program that has increased the system's charity care by $7.8 million in its first year. Also in this episode, the best tactic for recovering from a routine screening, according to Erika's eight-year-old daughter.

Chad Bloomberg of U.S. Bank Healthcare Payment Solutions shares insights on how payment preferences differ depending on demographics, and Oracle's Julie Jensen talks about collaboration as the key to cybersecurity in interviews recorded at HFMA's Annual Conference in Las Vegas. Mentioned in this episode: U.S. Bank Healthcare Payments Insights Report

Laxmi Patel from Savista discusses the potential for AI, and Kevin Hidenfelter from Millenia shares insights about generational payment preferences in interviews conducted live at HFMA's Annual Conference in Las Vegas. HFMA's Nick Hut and Shawn Stack discuss the Supreme Court ruling overturning the Chevron doctrine and the implications for healthcare.

The February cyberattack on Change Healthcare has healthcare organizations looking not only at their own cybersecurity practices of but those of their business partners. On today's episode, Greg Surla and Jeff Becker from FinThrive discuss how healthcare organizations can prepare for the inevitable next attack and how to ensure business continuity in the aftermath.

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a long-standing measure used in healthcare. But this height/weight ratio was originally meant for statistical use only and has no proven standing as a measure of health. Yet a patient's BMI is used to make critical decisions about their care. In this episode, Dr. Holly Ann Russell, an associate professor of family medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center and medical director for the Center of Community Health and Prevention, discusses what measures providers should be focusing on instead and why weighing patients at every visit is unnecessary.

HFMA Policy Director Andrew Donahue's column, “An open letter to Congress on nonprofit hospital finances,” has struck a chord with members. In this episode, he discusses margins, investments and M&A and what measure tells the real story of hospital finance. Also in this episode, Brad talks about the recent HFMA report Curing Payment Confusion. Also mentioned in this episode: Healthcare 2030: Restoring Trust in Healthcare Assessing Reality in Healthcare Financial Information | HFMA

HFMA's Annual Conference is mere weeks away. If you're sweating your presentation, today's episode is for you. Rhonda Khan of Simply Speech Solutions gives her thoughts on how to hook your audience and get your message across. Also in this episode, Nick Hut and Shawn Stack share the latest on the Change Healthcare cyberattack and look at what's happening in Washington.

Dr. Bruce Dorr of Biote discusses the challenges facing perimenopausal women in the workplace and what leaders should be doing to support them.

The cover story in the May issue of hfm focuses on a South Dakota health system that developed a new process to identify charity care patients. In this episode, HFMA Policy Director Shawn Stack discusses why good financial assistance policies and process are essential to patient care.

Dr. Vishnukamal Golla discusses the challenges facing primary care physicians and their patients. News team Nick Hut and Shawn Stack provide an update on the Change Healthcare cyberattack and other current events. Mentioned in this episode: Multiple GA hospitals accused of not complying with Price Transparency Rule

The February cyberattack on Change Healthcare, a unit of UnitedHealth Group, continues to cause concern and frustration for providers. In this episode, HFMA Senior Editor Nick Hut and Policy Director Shawn Stack discuss the latest developments, and Joshua Corman, founder of cybersecurity organization I Am the Cavalry, shares insights on what should come next in healthcare.

GLP-1 agonists, medications originally formulated to treat diabetes, have gained traction as prescription drugs for weight loss. On this episode, medical researcher and patient advocate Ragen Chastain discusses what healthcare providers should be sharing with their patients about the risks and efficacy of Wegovy and Zepbound.

Chad Mulvany, vice president of federal policy for the California Hospital Association and former HFMA policy director, discusses Bloomberg Philanthropies $250 million investment in the future healthcare workforce, as well as what will actually move the needle on price transparency. Discussed in this episode: ‘Healthcare High' coming to Woodside Northwell, NYC Public Schools announce Northwell School of Health Sciences The fight for transparency health care prices in America

This week, we're sharing an episode of our other podcast, Healthcare Blame Game. Patient Rights Advocate (PRA) has engaged hip hop artists like Fat Joe, Busta Rhymes and Method Man in its “Power to the Patients” campaign, claiming that regulations around price transparency are not being enforced, allowing hospitals to hide their prices and “charge whatever they want.” On this episode, HFMA Policy Director Shawn Stack and Ruth Lande, vice president of hospital relations at RIP Medical Debt, discuss PRA's misinterpretation of price transparency regulations and hospital pricing. Mentioned in this episode: Power to the Patients: Fat Joe Public Service Announcement PatientRightsAdvocate.org misinterprets CMS rules in low estimate of hospital price transparency compliance Patient Rights Advocate continues to misinterpret price transparency data with latest report Healthcare Blame Game: Why CFOs should build media relationships Do you have feedback on an episode or an idea for the Blame Game team? Email us here.

Dr. Sadie Elisseou, a practicing VA physician and instructor at Harvard Medical School and Boston University School of Medicine, talks about trauma-informed healthcare in and out of the exam room.

Dan Weinrieb of Jukebox Health discusses why providers should be paying attention to fall risk in patients' homes.

HFMA Policy Director Andrew Donahue discusses what trends and policy decisions will affect the industry in an election year.

Amy Levine discusses how a volunteer doula program can alleviate pressure on clinical staff and build a hospital's reputation as a caring place.

HFMA Senior Editor Nick Hut and HFMA Policy Director Shawn Stack discuss the most pressing end-of-year issues for 2023.

In an episode of HFMA's "Healthcare Blame Game" podcast, Brad Dennison talks with Susan Dentzer, president and CEO of America's Physician Groups, about why healthcare consolidation is more nuanced than critics understand. Mentioned in this episode: PRESS RELEASE: Lown Institute awarded $1.5M to study U.S. hospital tax exemptions, financial practices Susan Dentzer: Is consolidation in healthcare the work of modern-day robber barons — or the result of overdue reengineering?

The HFMA editors share their favorite content from this year and provide a glimpse of what's to come in 2024. Mentioned in this episode: Healthcare Blame Game How avoiding an awkward waiting room conversation can contribute to better health for transgender people It starts with mental health: How caring for transgender youth makes for healthier adults Healthcare 2030 HFM

Beth Sandor of Community Solutions discusses a pilot program in which health systems partnered with organizations in their communities fighting homelessness.

HFMA Senior Editor Nick Hut and HFMA Policy Director Shawn Stack discuss the latest in healthcare finance news.

Arun Shastri of ZS discusses uses for AI in healthcare as well as the limitations of technology when a human isn't involved.

Rami Karjian and Pippa Shulman from Medically Home discuss why higher payment and lower length of stay isn't always the best benchmark. Mentioned in this episode: HFMA Comments on Request for Information Regarding Medical Payment Products

Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, executive director for the National Center for Transgender Equality, returns to the podcast to discuss the misconceptions around transition-related care for young people. Additional reading: Ensuring Comprehensive Care and Support for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children and Adolescents Access to gender-affirming hormones during adolescence and mental health outcomes among transgender adults Psychosocial Functioning in Transgender Youth after 2 Years of Hormones Mental Health Outcomes in Transgender and Nonbinary Youths Receiving Gender-Affirming Care AMA reinforces opposition to restrictions on transgender medical care Better mental health found among transgender people who started hormones as teens

HFMA's Rick Gundling and Stephanie Mercado from the National Association for Healthcare Quality discuss how all entities within a healthcare organization can work for better quality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

HFMA Senior Editor Nick Hut and HFMA Policy Director Andrew Donohue discuss legislative action that could affect transparency efforts in healthcare.

Rami Karjian and Raphael Rakowski of Medically Home discuss emphasizing patients over all else in healthcare, and Julie Lambert and Lori Zindl from Inovalon talk about an RCM survey.

Dr. Ronald Hirsch of R1RCM discusses considerations around a new Alzheimer's drug with Senior Editor Nick Hut. Mentioned in this episode: CY 2024 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) Policy Changes: Hospital Price Transparency Proposals (CMS-1786-P) | CMS NCA - Beta Amyloid Positron Emission Tomography in Dementia and Neurodegenerative Disease (CAG-00431R) - Proposed Decision Memo (cms.gov)

Revisiting your investment strategy with Lisa Schneider of Russell Investments and PayMedix CEO Tom Policelli discusses why payment is so confusing for patients. Discussed in this episode: Medicare Program; Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System: Remedy for the 340B-Acquired Drug Payment Policy for Calendar Years 2018-2022

This week, we're sharing an episode of our brand new podcast, Healthcare Blame Game. In this episode, media veteran Jean Hodges joins HFMA director of content Brad Dennison to discuss a Washington Post error and the inner workings of the modern newsroom.   Mentioned in this episode: Americans are knee-deep in medical debt. Most owe hospitals. Healthcare Blame Game: How news outlets mishandled a medical debt study Most adults with post-due medical debt owe money to hospitals

Dr. Brittany Cunningham from Vanderbilt University Medical Center discusses her upcoming presentation at HFMA's Annual Conference in Nashville. Also in this episode, strategies for cash flow discrepancies with sponsor organization Inovalon.   Mentioned in this episode: CMS: Making Care Primary (MCP) Model

Rita Bowen of MRO discusses why some organizations are choosing not to ready themselves for interoperability until enforcement begins and how reproductive care can throw a wrench into the process.

June will mark the retirement of HFMA President and CEO Joe Fifer. In this episode, he looks back on his decades as an HFMA member, officer and executive.

HFMA's Katie Gilfillan discusses plans for HFMA's Annual Conference in Nashville. Learn more and register here.   Also in this episode, Karie Ryan and Amy Pyke of Philips tackle some of healthcare's greatest challenges with the strategic use of technology.

Stu Schaff of Intentionate Healthcare Advisors talks about job expectations of and for physicians, and Vicki Abelson of The Defined Leader and HFMA's Todd Nelson discuss what leaders can do to improve communication.   Also in this episode, Michael Bumann of Red Dot talks about how working with his company can improve a healthcare organization's bottom line.

In the second episode of HFMA's special series on the healthcare workforce, we focus on ways clinical workers need support from their leaders. HFMA's Todd Nelson, Janae Sharp of the Sharp Index, and FinThrive's Jonathan Wiik talk about shortages of clinical workers and offering help to those who remain. Also in this episode, Michael Bumann of Red Dot discusses how hospitals who partner with his organization see an increase in patient satisfaction.

In this first episode of a three-part series on the healthcare workforce, Jonathan Wiik of FinThrive and Todd Nelson of HFMA discusses burnout among non-clinical workers and how remote work is changing hiring.   Also in this episode, Michael Bumann, CEO of Red Dot, discusses how outsourcing motor vehicle accident claims can alleviate stress for revenue cycle staff.   Discussed in this episode: Revenue cycle staff shortages push leaders to act quickly

HFMA Senior Editor Nick Hut and HFMA Policy Director Shawn Stack discuss the end of the public health emergency and what it means for Medicaid as well as a recent blog post from Stack on price transparency. Discussed in this episode: Unwinding the Medicaid Continuous Enrollment Provision: Projected Enrollment Effects and Policy Approaches PatientRightsAdvocate.org misinterprets CMS rules in low estimate of hospital price transparency compliance Hospital price transparency update: Regulatory enforcement soon could become stricter, CMS leaders say