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Investment Analyst Initiates Hospital Operator Coverage with Sell Ratings |
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Written by Scott Becker
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Thursday, 05 June 2008 |
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A Citi Investment Research analyst began coverage of hospital operator stocks and issued a ‘sell’ rating for them due to growing debt and lower patient commercial admissions, according to published reports.
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Permanent Recovery Audit Contractors to be Announced in May |
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Written by David Blankenship
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Thursday, 05 June 2008 |
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With the recovery audit contractor (RAC) demonstration program ending this past March, CMS expects to name the new, permanent RACs by May, announced Kimberly L. Brandt, CMS program integrity director, at the Health Care Compliance Association’s Compliance Institute held in New Orleans.
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New Orleans Hospital Agrees to Pay $1.75 Million to Settle False Claims Allegations |
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Written by Scott Becker
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Thursday, 05 June 2008 |
A New Orleans Hospital, Touro Infirmary, will pay $1.75 million to settle allegations that it submitted false Medicare claims, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The DOJ alleges Touro made unlawful payments of almost $150,000 annually, from 2000 to 2004, to psychiatrist Dr. Maria Carmen Palazzo to induce her to refer patients to the hospital.
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Hospital Leader Shares Insight on Current State of Hospitals and Health Care |
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Written by Rob Kurtz
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Thursday, 05 June 2008 |
In just eight years, BayCare Clinic has become an extremely profitable, high-quality, physician-owned organization serving the Green Bay, Wis., community. The chief medical officer for BayCare is Paul Summerside, MD, FAAEM, who also serves as the president of the board of managers for Aurora BayCare Medical Center, also located in Green Bay.
Dr. Summerside sat down with The Hospital Review and shared his thoughts on the major challenges currently facing hospitals, why many hospitals are struggling to find sustainable success and what still keeps him excited about healthcare.
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Minimal to Maximum Integration Models |
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Written by Scott Becker
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Thursday, 05 June 2008 |
This short article briefly outlines several methods by which hospitals attempt to align interests with physicians. Certain of these options may be useful for different types of projects. Further, depending on whether pursing an imaging venture, an ASC venture, a nuclear camera venture, a cardiac cath venture, or other type of venture, certain of the models may be more or less useful. Briefly stated, the core models are as follows:
I. Minimal Integration Models. We generally view the following as minimal integration models. This generally means that the arrangements are short term and generally do not require the development of partnership agreements or require extensive capital contributions.
1) Medical Directorships. This involves an agreement with a physician or physician group who will provide various services to the venture.
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24 Hospital Leaders to Know |
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Written by Scott Becker and Rob Kurtz
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Thursday, 05 June 2008 |
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1. Jack Bovender, Jr. – Jack Bovender, Jr. is the chairman and CEO of
Hospital Corporation of America (HCA). He assumed this role in January
2002. Prior to this position, Jack served as HCA’s executive vice
president and COO for about ten years, and was division president of
HCA’s Atlanta division and president of HCA’s Eastern Group Operations.
Prior to joining HCA, Jack served as a lieutenant in the United States
Navy, as CEO of Medical Center Hospital in Largo, Fla., and West
Florida Regional Medical Center in Pensacola, both owned at the time by
HCA.
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CMS Revisits Stark 'Stand in the Shoes' Provision |
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Written by Scott Becker
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Thursday, 05 June 2008 |
CMS is revisiting the Stark “stand in the shoes” provision as a component of its 2009 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) proposed rule.
This provision, which was included in the Phase III final rule, is aimed at determining whether a direct or indirect compensation arrangement exists between a physician and an entity to which the physician refers Medicare patients for DHS.
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Letters from the Editor: Four Interesting Developments |
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Written by Scott Becker
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Thursday, 05 June 2008 |
This has been a fascinating first quarter of 2008. Four of the developments that we find to be really interesting are as follows:
1. The acceleration of high-deductible plans and consumer-driven healthcare
Commentators speak in abstract terms about “consumer-driven healthcare.” The real concept is that people will pay a greater proportion of their healthcare costs and thus become more concerned about shopping for services based on cost and quality. Quietly, and without a lot of fanfare, we are seeing a great increase in the number of high-deductible and high-co-payment plans.
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