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These hospitals make the most money off patients — and they’re mostly nonprofits
The authors analyzed Medicare data for about 3,000 acute care hospitals, of which 59 percent were nonprofit, 25 percent were for-profit and 16 percent were public. After adjusting for cost of living and the types of patients served, they found that more than half of all facilities lost money on patient-care services. Rural hospitals, small hospitals and major teaching hospitals tended to lose more money than urban hospitals and larger ones.
Cartoon – Let’s Cook Up a Flashy Ad Campaign
Drug That Killed Prince Is Making Mexican Cartels Richer, U.S. Says
As a crackdown on prescription drugs drove the cost of pills like oxycodone higher, the cartels began banking on users opting for heroin instead. It was cheaper, more readily available and relatively easy to procure. Now, fentanyl, which can be made in a laboratory without the hassle of growing poppy, is a more lucrative — and deadly — iteration.
Envision Healthcare in talks to merge with AmSurg: sources
Vermont becomes first state to require drug makers justify price hikes
Vermont becomes first state to require drug makers to justify price hikes
Despite opposition from the pharmaceutical industry, Vermont late last week became the first state in the country to require drug makers to justify price hikes for medicines.
This New Vaccine Can Really Prevent Killer Pneumonia
Current vaccines target only a small percentage of the more than 90 strains of the bacteria that cause pneumonia. But researchers say a new protein-based vaccine can defend against many more strains—and that it’s 100 percent effective at promoting the appropriate immune response.
Cartoon – Let’s Play It Safe
Gardens Regional Hospital, which treated the poor and homeless, files for bankruptcy
The California hospital was cited last year for ‘patient dumping’ a homeless woman at Los Angeles area of Skid Row.
Healthcare reform, value-based pay bolsters credit ratings, for now, experts say
While reforms tied to the Affordable Care Act have most healthcare providers focusing on quality and efficiency, financial experts say the dramatic change in business model is driving improvement in credit ratings. But worries still persists about just how stable those changes are.
According to Martin Arrick, a managing director at Standard and Poor’s, said a number of factors are affecting ratings trends, although the outlook in general appears to improving. S&P had been negative on the healthcare sector a couple of years ago, mostly because of pressure on operating margins, but that outlook has since reverted back to stable.
“We still see pressure on operating margins, but there are two big things,” said Arrick. “One is that hospitals have done a good job containing costs and keeping their margins generally solid. Two is Medicaid expansion.”
