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We are excited to announce a new education series:

The Physician Practice Financial Literacy Series

Join us for the first in our three part Physician Practice Financial Literacy Series on December 8, 2017 from 3:00 – 4:00 PM at the Bellevue Country Club. The event is FREE! This program is geared toward physicians, physician practice owners and physician practice managers. Register online here: http://cnyhfma.org/meetinginfo.php?id=109&ts=1508941528

New Programming INSIDE THIS

ISSUE New Programming………..1

In the News………………..2

Job Openings……………...4

Recent Events……………..5

Upcoming Events………....6

New Members……………10

Recruiting………………...11

Sponsors………………….12

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

In the News States Not Budgeting for $2 Billion DSH CutRICH DALY, HFMA SENIOR WRITER/EDITOR

THE DSH CUTS COME AMID STATES’ DECISIONS TO KEEP MEDICAID RATES FOR INPATIENT 

CARE GENERALLY FLAT, DESPITE A CONTINUED ECONOMIC BOOM. 

Oct. 19—Nearly two-thirds of 2018 state budgets have not accounted for recently started cuts in federal hospital assistance, according to a new survey.

On Oct. 1, the federal government began implementing a $2 billion cut to Medicaid disproportionate share (DSH) payments for FY18. The long-delayed cuts were originally scheduled to go into effect in FY14.

“States indicated that they could face budget challenges as reductions to [DSH] payments go into effect in October 2017,” wrote the authors of the annual survey of state Medicaid directors, conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Management Associates.

As for states that are budgeting for the DSH cuts, Robin Rudowitz, an associate director for the Kaiser Program on Medicaid and the Uninsured, said it was unclear what steps they are taking.

“There could be some discussions as the cuts ramp up,” Rudowitz said. The cuts are scheduled to increase to $8 billion in FY25.

Although DSH cuts were included in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as a way to fund coverage expansions, a report by the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission concluded the projected cuts for FY18 were larger than the decline in hospital uncompensated care between 2013 and 2014 in 20 states.

Of the $19.6 billion in total FY16 DSH payments, the federal government funded $10.6 billion and the states funded $8 billion, according to a report from the Office of the Actuary for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The $2 billion cut comes from the federal share.

The shares of the DSH cuts in each state were spelled out in a July 2017 proposed rule.

Legislative language to appropriate the FY18 federal DSH funding has been included in a measure to reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), but the outlook for that legislation is uncertain because of conflicts over spending offsets to pay for it. The House and Senate versions of the legislation differ, with the House legislation delaying Medicaid DSH cuts for FY18 but adding two years of cuts in 2026 and 2027.

The House bill’s approach has raised concerns from some hospital advocates.

“While we appreciate the one-year delay in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce bill to extend CHIP, we continue to advocate a two-year delay and smaller out-year cuts to provide greater stability for hospitals and more time to find a long-term fix,” said Bruce Siegel, MD, president and CEO of America’s Essential Hospitals. “Staying on a path of one-year delays only will dig the fiscal hole deeper and make finding solutions more difficult.”

See Full Article: https://www.hfma.org/Content.aspx?id=56460

 

 

In the News Hospital, Insurer Impacts Expected From Trump’s Marketplace Moves RICH DALY, HFMA SENIOR WRITER/EDITOR 

THE ADMINISTRATION’S INDIVIDUAL‐INSURANCE MARKET MOVES ARE THE LATEST 

INITIATIVES THAT SEEK TO FINANCIALLY UNDERMINE THE “MEDICAL‐INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX,” 

WHICH OPPOSED REPEALING THE ACA, ONE ANALYST SAYS. 

 

Oct. 16—Both hospitals and insurers are expected to see financial effects from the Trump administration’s latest initiatives in relation to the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) insurance marketplaces.

Among the range of actions that the Trump administration took recently regarding the individual health insurance markets, the only immediate effect was the decision to end cost-sharing reduction payments, which subsidize out-of-pocket costs for ACA marketplace enrollees who earn up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level. A federal judge previously ruled that such administratively provided CSR funding was illegal and needed to be appropriated by Congress.

The end of CSR payments will likely leave insurers to figure out how to cover the cost of the missing payments for the remaining three months of 2017. For 2018, insurers are expected to add the cost of covering the CSR payments to their Silver plan premiums, according to industry watchers.

The resulting rise in Silver plan premiums both on- and off-exchange—they are required to be identically priced—will likely cause many non-subsidized Silver plan enrollees to switch to Gold plans, and premiums for those will likely drop, according to projections by the Congressional Budget Office.

Hospitals could benefit from a decrease in marketplace enrollees with Bronze and Silver plans—which have higher out-of-pocket costs—because they have complained that patients with such plans haven’t been able to cover any of their out-of-pocket costs, said John McCarthy, founding partner of Speire Healthcare Strategies and former director of the Washington, D.C., and Ohio Medicaid programs.  

“Theoretically the Gold plan lowers that, so it would be better for a hospital,” McCarthy said.

“The real impact will probably be on insurers saying, ‘You know what, I just don’t want to fool with this anymore,’ and that has increasingly become the sentiment among insurers,” said Emily Evans, managing director for health policy at investment adviser Hedgeye, in reference to participation in the marketplaces.

McCarthy noted some states had insurers submit rates based on the assumption that CSRs would not be provided.

See Full Article: https://www.hfma.org/Content.aspx?id=56424

In the News is used with permission from HFMA News; for more news, visit http://hfma.org/newslisting.aspx

 

 

Job OpeningsChief Financial Officer Samaritan Medical Center Exciting Opportunity to bring leadership and guidance as Chief Financial Officer with Samaritan Medical Center in Watertown, New York.

The Chief Financial Officer is responsible for planning, organizing, directing and controlling activities of Finance, Accounting, Financial Planning, Reimbursement, Revenue Cycle, Patient Registration, Payroll, HIM, and payer contract negotiation.

We are seeking an expert in healthcare finance who can advise the Chief Executive Officer and other members of senior management on financial planning, cash flow, investment priorities, and policy matters.

The CFO will focus on implementing operating budgets for all entities of Samaritan, building a capital plan to allot for future projects including renovations and Accounts Receivables initiatives, and acting as a key component in the active Revenue Cycle project.

MBA highly preferred or Bachelor’s degree with equivalent experience. Strong background in Finance and Accounting in a healthcare organization. Prior leadership experience, managing large groups of employees. Apply online: https://www/besmith.com/candidates/search-listings/job-details/?jId=923931 Or send resume to: talent@besmith.com

 

Reimbursement & Financial Analyst Crouse Health The Reimbursement & Financial Analyst is responsible for the collection, analysis, and reporting of accounting information for reimbursement with the knowledge, intensity and responsibilities specified.

Responsible for reconciliation and tracking of interns & residents, in accordance with federal requirements.

Demonstrates a comprehensive knowledge of reporting requirements for all third party payors to include: Medicare and Medicaid ICR, Blue Cross Supplement, Uniform Statistical Report and the Champus Cost Report.

Completion of monthly HCRA Pool requirements analyzed for reasonableness and is documented in a neat and logical format.

Completion of OASAS financial reporting requirements. Assists the Manager of Revenue and Reimbursement in the annual compilation of the DSH self -

assessment including audit. Completion of Professional Physician revenue month end procedures, including journal entries, trend

analysis and comparison to budget. Performs other duties as assigned by Manager and/or Director. BA or BS in accounting or finance related field. Minimum of 2-3 years healthcare finance experience. For more qualifications and to apply visit: https://www.crouse.org/careers/jobs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recent Events

Members from the Central New York Chapter, Husdon Valley New York Chapter, Metropolitan New York Chapter, Northeastern New York Chapter, Puerto Rico Chapter, Rochester Regional Chapter, and Western New York Chapter gathered at Turning Stone Resort and Casino from October 18th – 20th to attend the Annual HFMA Region 2 Fall Institute and Reignite their Purpose! There were many general and breakout sessions that addressed many of the issues and trends occurring in healthcare today. Just some of the topics included: Accounting and Audit, Legal, Long-Term Care, and Washington Updates, Utilizing Data Analytics to Improve Compliance Reporting, Storm Chasing: Using Technology to Navigate Revenue Cycle, and The Pitfalls of Electronic Medical Records.

Highlights also included a keynote address by Captain Mark Kelly, Commander of the Space Shuttle Endeavour’s Final Mission and Analyst for NBC news and MSNBC. Captain Kelly discussed his path to becoming a NASA astronaut, shared stories from his combat missions as a pilot in Iraq, his many trips into space, and the toughest challenge of his life, when an assassination attempt was made on his wife, former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Captain Kelly is pictured at left with Regional Executive Elect, Kiran Batheja, Regional Executive Elect Elect Michele Mecomonaco, and Regional Executive Kristen Zebrowski who were all instrumental in organizing the event.

The final day of the conference included an opening discussion with Carol Friesen, the HFMA National Chair for 2017-2018. Her description of her brother’s accident and how that led her into healthcare reflected the theme “Where Passion Meets Purpose.” She was followed by Connie Podesta, a motivational speaker and author who discussed Stand Out Influence…. How to Get People on Board. The Power of Consensus and Negotiation to Increase Buy-In. She had the whole crowd laughing as she explained different personality types and how they interact with one another. The combination of humor, insight into human nature, and persuasive strategies made the speech both compelling and fun!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

Upcoming Events - Local

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Upcoming Events - Local

 

 

Upcoming Events - Local

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

Boston| November 13-15, 2017 Bundled Payment Bootcamp (Nov. 14-15) Healthcare Financial Management Essentials (Nov. 13-15) MACRA: Chart Your Course Using Quality and Resource Use Reports (Nov. 14-15) Managed Care Contracting in a Value-Based World (Nov. 14-15) Managing Reimbursement in a Value-Based Payment System (Nov. 13) Medicare Cost Reporting: Essentials, Implications & Strategies (Nov. 13-15) Beyond Big Data: Developing a Business Intelligence and Analytics Practice (Nov. 13-15)

Chicago| December 6-8, 2017 2018 Chargemaster Update (Dec. 8) Achieving Revenue Improvements Through Chargemaster and Charge Capture in

Clinical Departments (Dec. 7) Chargemaster Essentials (Dec. 6) Healthcare Financial Management Essentials (Dec. 6-8) Medicare Cost Reporting: Essentials, Implications & Strategies (Dec.6-8) Surviving a System Conversion While Maintaining Revenue Cycle Performance

(Dec. 6-8) Building a Performance-Based Value Model that Drives ROI (Dec. 6-8) Cost Accounting and Financial Analysis Strategies Under Population Health (Dec.

6-8)

Denver, CO| February 21-23, 2018

 

Save the Date

 

Upcoming Events - National

Las Vegas, NV| June 24-27, 2018

SU Basketball Game – December 9, 2017 11:30AM – 7:00PM. Free for Members and their immediate family. Join us for tailgating and then to watch Syracuse take on Colgate! Register online here: http://cnyhfma.org/meetinginfo.php?id=114&ts=1509625949

 

 

 

 

   

Mariah LaLonde – Reimbursement Analyst SUNY Upstate Medical University

Please join HFMA in giving a warm welcome to Mariah LaLonde, a reimbursement analyst at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Lalonde is a 2013 graduate of Syracuse University with a BA in Mathematics and a BS in Economics. She was born in Oswego and has lived there her whole life. The most rewarding aspect of her current job is knowing that everything they do is ultimately going to help the patients. Many with a background in reimbursement can relate to how she is always very happy to hit the “submit” button on the ICR on May 31st! Lalonde likes the healthcare industry as there is “never a dull moment! The healthcare industry is constantly changing and evolving and I enjoy working through the frequent challenges, even when they give me heart palpitations.” She wanted to join HFMA in order to “to stay informed of the most recent healthcare news/changes and also learn how to best deal with the challenges that these changes may bring - whether that be through publications, HFMA events, or other members in the region.” She hopes membership in HFMA will broaden her knowledge of healthcare finance and also gain the camaraderie and support of other members in the industry that share the same challenges. In her spare time, LaLonde enjoys running in road races, staying active, reading, and walking her Jack Russell. She also enjoys boating on Lake Ontario during the summer in Oswego, which she jokes, only “lasts for 3 weeks or so!”

Welcome to our New Members! Jeffrey Smith Ernst & Young Angela Tyson SUNY Upstate Medical University Mariah LaLonde SUNY Upstate Medical University Jaime Lindsay Fust, Charles, Chambers, LLP Erin Bolsei SUNY Upstate Medical University Emily Read St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center Jason Beardsley St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center Lisa Slade St. Joseph’s Hospital Health Center Jonathan Leister M&T Bank

 

New Member Spotlight

 

 

   

 

Recruiting

“HFMA is shaping the future of healthcare. Pass it on.”

The Benefits of Membership

Gain immediate access to the largest network of healthcare finance professionals to keep ahead of the changing industry

HFM monthly magazine publication sent right to you, allowing you to stay informed with the latest legislative and regulatory updates

Member-only access to hfma.org Professional development – Live educational events in your community and numerous

FREE webinars to review the latest topics right at the office Certification programs – enhance your skills and build your career

Take Advantage of the Member-Get-A-Member Program

As an HFMA member, you are already a part of a strong professional organization of financial leaders tackling today’s critical issues in healthcare. You have access to the HFM subscription, educational events and webinars, and local networking.

SPREAD THE WORD – Invite your colleagues to join HFMA!

Through recruiting new members, you have the opportunity to win:

HFMA apparel or accessories $25, $100, or $150 Visa Prepaid Cards Cash prizes of $1,000 or $2,500 Apple Watch Sport TM A grand prize of $5,000 ($3,000 cash and $2,000 donated to a charity of winner’s

choice)

Even recruiting just one member will earn you a reward!

To learn more, visit http://www.hfma.org/mgam

For more information, please visit http://www.hfma.org/benefits/ or contact Amy Blatt at ablatt@mvhealthsystem.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sponsors

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

PLATINUM

Interested in becoming a sponsor? Call Scott Rau at (315) 478-0425 or go to our website www.cnyhfma.org

to see our updated sponsorship program.

GOLD

The Bonadio Group

SILVER

Laboratory Alliance of CNY, LLC

M.S. Hall and Associates

Physicians’ Reciprocal Insurers 

BRONZE

ENV Insurance Agency

Hancock Estabrook

Costello, Cooney & Fearon