Business pressures are forcing healthcare financial managers to re-evaluate their present revenue cycle management solutions, and look to the next generation of solutions for answers to their financial woes.Shifting payment models, new regulations and healthcare reform are forcing healthcare leaders to redirect previously launched budgets, priorities and strategic plans to assess if new solutions can rescue them from imminent financial catastrophes.
Most hospital CFOs and group practice managers have no choice but to look for next generation of RCM solutions in order to keep their organizations solvent. Reimbursement challenges and coping with increased self-pay volumes have driven many marginally performing healthcare organizations to the brink.
In 2014, it is predicted that changes, such as reduced reimbursements, payment reforms, accountable care organizations (ACO), ICD-10 coding transition activities, physician practice acquisitions and increased self-pay collection costs will all contribute to overall declining margins. The increase in self-pay accounts will be significant, driven the Affordable Care Act (ACA) which is going to send a huge number of newly insured patients into the healthcare delivery system. Under ACA, every U.S. citizen is required to have some form of medical insurance, or pay an opt-out fine.
Not only will physicians and hospitals be swamped by treating this new wave of patients, their infusion into the healthcare system is going to create significant financial challenges due to many of the newly insured patients having extremely high deductible insurance plans, forcing hospitals and physician groups to collect this money on their own. According to a January 2014 article in Kaiser Health News, out-of-pocket payment amounts under the ACA will range from $6,350 for individuals to $12,700 for families.
This new pressure on healthcare providers’ revenue cycles is not going away; it’s something everyone will face soon.
