On September 18, 2020, the nonprofit Research and Development (RAND) Corporation published a research report, which found that private insurance companies pay prices that are on average 240% higher than what Medicare pays for the same hospital services. The report analyzed data from 2016 through 2018 across 49 states and Washington D.C. The only excluded state was Maryland, for which data was collected but not included in the study because of the state’s all-payor rate setting program, where hospitals by default charge prices equal to private payors and Medicare. RAND data included only community hospitals such as inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs). (Read more...)

In recent years, private equity investments in the healthcare sector have been on the rise. From 2008 to 2018, the number of private equity healthcare deals in the U.S. soared from 325 deals in 2008 to 788 deals in 2018, totaling more than $100 billion in value. Private equity firms use capital from investors to purchase assets, such as hospitals, with the goal of increasing the value of the asset before selling off the asset, typically within three to seven years, at a profit and returning the profits to the investors. Private equity firms generally look for underperforming yet stable targets, wherein costs can be cut and operational efficiencies can be realized to increase value. (Read more...)

Telemedicine has rapidly advanced over the past couple of decades, and its advancement has been significantly accelerated since the COVID-19 pandemic struck the U.S. These virtual services have the potential to allow greater access to, and quality of, care, while also resulting in significant cost savings. However, the technology also has numerous challenges, such as infrastructure gaps, capital requirements, and knowledge barriers among patients. The first installment in this five-part series on the valuation of telemedicine provides a description of telemedicine, an overview of its role during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), and the potential challenges and opportunities it may face in the future. (Read more...) 

On July 22, 2020, the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program (HCFAC) released their annual fraud and abuse report for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019. HCFAC was established as part of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, under the direction of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The program’s main goal is to coordinate efforts on federal, state, and local levels to reduce and prosecute healthcare fraud and abuse, including conducting investigations, facilitating regulatory enforcement, and providing education. (Read more...) 
NEW ARTICLE
"COVID-19 Financial Resources for Physicians," authored by HCC President, Todd A. Zigrang, MBA, MHA, FACHE, CVA, ASA, HCC Vice President and General Counsel, Jessica Bailey-Wheaton, Esq., and, Bhagwan Satiani, MD, of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, was published in the Journal of Vascular Surgery.

For more recently published material written by HCC, please visit www.healthcapital.com


ANNOUNCING
Advanced Distance Education to be Presented on the Four Pillars of Healthcare Valuation During NACVA Workshop

The Institute for Healthcare Valuation (IHV) & Consultants' Training Institute (CTI) are pleased to announce premier healthcare valuation training through a distance education program, the Certificate of Educational Achievement (CEA) for Advanced Education in Healthcare Valuation. The program will be featured during the two-day NACVA workshop October 27-28, 2020, and will bridge the interdisciplinary nature of healthcare valuation to include: the Four Pillars of Healthcare (regulatory, reimbursement, competition, and technology); the market forces shaping the U.S. healthcare industry; and the valuation of healthcare enterprises, assets, and services. Legal professionals and healthcare providers, as well as those wishing to expand their scope of activities in healthcare valuation engagements and those seeking to enhance their current healthcare valuation service lines, will gain comprehensive knowledge through completing the expansive program. The program has been developed and is being presented by industry thought leader Health Capital Consultants.

For more information on the program and conference Click HERE.