Healthcare E-Alerts Blog posts

In the iconic film Apocalypse Now, we’re told how Col. Walter E. Kurtz had undertaken a major military action without getting prior approval from the general staff. Even though it resulted in an unmitigated success, his superiors were going to severely discipline him for skirting the chain of command. However, when the news media got […]

It is a fundamental of physics: a narrow funnel can inhibit the rate of flow. Consider, if you will, the hourglass. You can have a pound of sand at the top that would quickly fall and fill the cavernous section at the bottom if it weren’t for that narrow passageway connecting the upper and lower […]

Government intrigue; agency versus agency—these are the themes that underpin many a Tom Clancy novel or John Frankenheimer film. Political infighting, however, is not just relegated to the realm of fiction; often, the real world provides glimpses of government heavyweights going after each other in a test of political wills and ideological strength. While not […]

In 1544, the French stronghold of Boulogne was besieged by 36,000 English troops under the orders of King Henry VIII. The town was considered impregnable, with its double row of reinforced ramparts. However, after undergoing a withering barrage of canon fire and suffering an explosion set within an underground chamber that had been surreptitiously dug […]

It is safe to assume that most people do not have a positive impression of the word “mandate.” The very concept is anathema to the average American as it runs counter to our revolutionary spirit and the sensibilities of our founding document. We assert that we are a free people, living in “the land of […]

From time to time, we have attempted to keep our readers abreast of the status of the nursing shortage crisis that has befallen many facilities since the advent of COVID-19. We’ve looked at statistics and reports of strikes and solutions proposed or implemented in various states around the country. Today’s article provides insight on what’s […]

We’ve all heard that classic movie line: “Failure is not an option.” And don’t forget those admonitions from mom or dad reminding you that there would be consequences for your epic fails. It turns out that the quote from the Apollo 13 blockbuster film and that archetypal parental rebuke are both rooted in a very […]

There is something to be said for the hard hat, that orange life jacket and a rope-secured harness. They have saved the lives of many construction workers, boaters and rock-climbers over the years. Even though it represents an extra expense and a bit of a hassle, deploying safety equipment and observing safety strategies have been […]

Over the last two weeks, we have brought you highlights from the 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Proposed Rule (PR) published last month by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Today’s article will focus on the incentive programs applicable to hospital inpatient services that are being proposed for the 2024 fiscal year […]

Last week, we began a three-part series of articles outlining some of the key provisions of the FY 2024 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Proposed Rule (PR).  In this week’s alert, readers will be provided additional highlights arising from the associated fact sheet published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which acts […]