August 20, 2025

Whitepaper: Healthcare Affordability and Patient Revenue: Benchmarks and Insights from 213 RCM Leaders

Patients are shouldering more costs – and providers are paying the price.

With high-deductible health plans and rising coinsurance, out-of-pocket expenses continue to climb. The result: more financial strain on patients and more bad debt for providers.

In 2024, bad debt surged 14%, while collection rates remained stagnant at below 25%. Many in-house payment plans carry 20-30% default rates. Without a new approach, revenue leaders risk tying up capital and sending even more accounts to collections.

This report – based on a Healthcare Financial Management association-partnered survey of 213 health system revenue cycle leaders – reveals strategies that work in the real world. Learn how the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) combined pre-service payment policies with long-term financing to boost access and increase collections.

Inside the Report:

• Performance benchmarks from hospitals with $100 million to over $25 billion in annual revenue,
• How UTMB achieved a 25% lift in collections with patient-friendly financing, and
• Practical recommendations to reduce financial risk, improve cash flow, and make care more affordable.

Click Here to Download Whitepaper

August 20, 2025

What Separates High- and Low-performing Hospitals in 2025

In 2025, top-performing hospitals are setting themselves apart from lower-performing facilities through a combination of strategic, operational and financial factors. According to Kaufman Hall and Fitch Ratings, the key differentiators include:

• Strong market presence in growth regions
  • Hospitals located in expanding markets – especially in the South, Midwest and Northeast – are benefiting from rising demand, better payer mixes and stronger revenue potential.
  • These organizations are leveraging local demographics and economic growth to drive performance.
• Workforce recruitment and retention
  • Talent remains a key differentiator. High performers are more successful in hiring and retaining clinical and nonclinical staff amid national shortages, allowing them to maintain service capacity and quality care while controlling labor costs.
• Aggressive payer strategy
  • Top-tier hospitals are skilled at negotiating favorable payer contracts, often using a “mind the gap” approach to keep reimbursement rates at the upper end of the scale.
  • These hospitals maximize market leverage to drive revenue growth.
• Operational agility
  • High-performing hospitals are nimble and can adjust quickly to changing conditions.
  • They centralize purchased services, optimize supply chains and adapt care models to improve efficiency.
• Investment in technology and infrastructure
  • Successful systems are proactively investing in AI, health IT and data analytics.
  • These investments support care delivery and administrative efficiency and prepare hospitals for value-based care and alternative payment models.
• Outpatient expansion and service diversification
  • Expanding outpatient footprints and diversifying service lines allow top hospitals to meet evolving patient demand and offset pressures on inpatient care, particularly in high-cost settings.
• Proactive real estate and capital management
  • Strong performers are strategically managing real estate assets to bolster balance sheets and fund growth initiatives, such as facility modernization and digital transformation.

Click Here to Read Full Article

August 18, 2025

Whitepaper: FQHC Telehealth at Risk: What September’s Deadline Means for Revenue & Access

Time is running out for FQHCs that depend on telehealth to keep patients connected to care. In 2025, CMS flexibilities that made virtual visits reimbursable are winding down months earlier than many expected – creating real challenges for Medicaid and Medicare revenue, behavioral health access and compliance.

But updating workflows and mapping dual-code billing now can help to avoid delays that disrupt funding and patient care.

This concise guide explains exactly what’s changing – and how forward-thinking FQHCs are preparing to stay ahead.

Download to Learn:

• The updated CMS timeline: what ends September 30, what to bill by December 31, and what extends to 2026
• How to navigate dual-code billing (CMS vs. AMA) without costly denials or delays, and
• Strategies to protect cash flow and maintain access for high-barrier Medicaid and Medicare patients

Click Here to Download Whitepaper

August 18, 2025

Whitepaper: Tiny Voices, Big Complexity: 8 Children’s Hospitals Find AI that Gets the Stakes from Day One

Children’s hospitals face unique challenges in care delivery, as young patients are often unable to articulate symptoms fully, creating barriers for immediate treatment. Traditional adult-centric technologies often underperform in these dynamic environments, leaving potential improvements unrealized.

Increasing dependence on inefficient documentation tools exacerbates challenges, disturbs family engagement and diverts clinician attention away from the child, increasing stress for all parties involved.

The whitepaper demonstrates how eight children’s hospitals – including Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Seattle Children’s and Boston Children’s Hospital – are utilizing ambient AI to streamline documentation processes, improve efficiency and enhance patient care.

Earnings Include:

• Documented reductions in clinicians’ EHR time and enhanced focus during patient interactions,
• How hospitals achieve better family communication and decision-making, and
• Real outcomes from prominent institutions that showcase enhanced billing accuracy and operational excellence.

Click Here to Download Whitepaper