Pulse
Published for ACA healthcare collection agencies to provide current industry information for healthcare providers
April 2024 - Vol. 40 No. 4
- HFMA Criticizes Patient Rights Advocate’s Price Transparency Compliance Report
- What’s Next for the No Surprises Act?
- Senate Members Urge CFPB to Act on Medical Debt Rulemaking Proposals
- Study Links Medical Debt to Poor Health Outcomes and Increased Mortality Rates
March 2024 - Vol. 40 No. 3
- Financial Distress Drives Surge in 2023 Health Care M&A Activity
- Minnesota Legislature Introduces Debt Fairness Act
- Pennsylvania Considers Medical Debt Relief in Budget Proposal
- Hospital Margins Show January Dip, But Financial Stability Prevails
February 2024 - Vol. 40 No. 2
- Demand for Health Care Price Transparency Grows
- CFPB Report on FDCPA Continues to Apply Broad Strokes to Medical Debt Collection Issues
- Inpatient COVID-19 Treatment Costs Surge in Last Two Years
January 2024 - Vol. 40 No. 1
- Health Care Spending Reaches $4.5 Trillion
- Hospitals Increasingly Embracing Revenue Cycle Automation
- Wide Disparities in Hospital Prices Exposed
December 2023 - Vol. 39 No. 12
- Share Your Opinion on Medical Debt Credit Reporting Changes
- Regulatory Oversight in Health Care Hinders Patient Care
- Surge in Insurance Claim Denials Hits Hospitals’ Finances
November 2023 - Vol. 39 No. 11
- Researchers Raise Red Flags About Government Overpayments to MA Plans
- Patient Data Breaches Double in 2023
- Health Care M&A Activity Rebounds in Q3 2023
October 2023 - Vol. 39 No. 10
- How the Government Shutdown Would Affect Vital Health Care Programs
- Why 1 in 3 Health Care Workers Plan to Leave
- Hospital Outpatient Departments Pricier Than Doctor’s Offices
September 2023 - Vol. 39 No. 9
- Health Care, Finance Industries Embrace Real-Time Payments
- The Surprising Reality of Medical Debt Among Middle-Class Americans
- Hospital Price Transparency Compliance Lags Two Years After Rule Introduced
- Rural Americans Struggle with Health Care Costs
August 2023 - Vol. 39 No. 8
- Biden Administration Takes Sweeping Actions to Lower Health Care Costsand Protect Consumers
- Hospital M&A Activity Surges in Q2 2023, Reaching Pre-Pandemic Levels
- Medical Debt Disproportionately Affects People of Color and Low-Income Residents in New York
July 2023 - Vol. 39 No. 7
- Health Care Spending Expected to Reach $7.2 Trillion by 2031
- Consumers Report Unified Health Care Platform Will Improve Patient Experience
- New York Assembly Passes Medical Debt Credit Reporting Bill
- Health Care M&A Remains Strong in Q1 2023
June 2023 - Vol. 39 No. 6
- Meeting of the Minds on Health Care Collections
- Biden-Harris Administration Announces Proposal to Advance Prescription Drug Transparency
- Hospital Revenue Growth Outpaced Rising Expenses in March
May 2023 - Vol. 39 No. 5
- The Importance of Communication Consent Language
- Building Advocacy Partnerships in Health Care
- Financial Challenges Continue as Hospital Expenses Rise
April 2023 - Vol. 39 No. 4
- Past-Due Medical Debt Impacting Americans
- From the Web: ‘How Cigna Saves Millions by Having Its Doctors Reject Claims Without Reading Them’
- Colorado Legislation on Medical Debt Advances
- Americans Living Under the Poverty Line Facing Unpaid Medical Debt
March 2023 - Vol. 39 No. 3
- Next Round of Medical Debt Credit Reporting Changes on the Horizon
- Consumers Frustrated with Health Care Billing and Lack of Processes for Correcting Errors
- Payments Processed on ACH Network Soared in 2022
- Medical Billing Errors Cost Consumers Time and Money
February 2023 - Vol. 39 No. 2
- Gallup Poll Finds More Americans Than Ever Putting Off Medical Care Due to Cost
- CFPB Signals Fair Credit Reporting Act Rulemaking
- Nacha Urges Health Care Providers to Use ACH Network
- 65% of Beneficiaries Uninsured After Medicaid Disenrollment
January 2023 - Vol. 39 No. 1
- National Health Care Spending Grows 2.7% as COVID-19 Relief Runs Dry
- Study Finds 93% of Employees Satisfied with Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance
- FCC Opens Portal for Private Entities to Report Illegal Robocalls
- Americans Value Health Insurance as the Most Important Employer Benefit
December 2022 - Vol. 38 No. 12
- Fewer Patients Have Usual Source of Care
- No Surprises Act Prevented 9 Million Unexpected Bills Since January
- New York Governor Signs Medical Debt Bill
- Number of Americans Who Have Usual Source of Care Plummets
November 2022 - Vol. 38 No. 11
- Consumer Groups Call for CFPB Rulemaking on Medical Debt Credit Reporting
- Court Finds Reg F Does Not Require Debt Collectors to Use Model Validation Notice
- Health Care M&A Activity Dips in Third Quarter
October 2022 - Vol. 38 No. 10
- CFPB’s Latest Circular on Nursing Home Bills Hits Federal Register
- CMS Releases FAQs for No Surprises Act Implementation
- Inflation and Labor Costs Will Increase Health Care Spending by $370B
- Inflation and Labor Costs in Health Care
September 2022 - Vol. 38 No. 9
- Biden Administration Issues Final Surprise Billing Rules and FAQs
- Maryland’s Health Services Cost Review Commission Proposes Regulation for Hospital Payment Guidelines
- Next CFPB Virtual Field Hearing Focuses on Nursing Home Debt Collection Practices
- COVID-19 Pandemic Sparked Increase in Out-of-Pocket Health Care Spending
August 2022 - Vol. 38 No. 8
- Has the CFPB Missed the Mark on Medical Debt Credit Reporting?
- Ninth Circuit Appeals Court Sets Oral Argument in Nevada Medical Debt Law Case
- Health Care M&A Activity at a Record High
July 2022 - Vol. 38 No. 7
- Top-Ranked Hospitals Lack Full Compliance with Price Transparency Rule
- First Wave of Medical Debt Credit Reporting Changes Underway
- Trends in Medical Debt During the COVID-19 Pandemic
June 2022 - Vol. 38 No. 6
- HHS Seeks Clarity on Government Calls from FCC
- Private Payers Pay 224% More for Hospital Services Than Medicare
- Hospital Groups Urge HHS to Expand COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
May 2022 - Vol. 38 No. 5
- Measuring the Impact of the Government’s Focus on Medical Debt and Credit Reporting
- Younger Americans Face More Medical Debt
- HHS to Revoke Health Care Worker ‘Conscience’ Rule
April 2022 - Vol. 38 No. 4
- Credit Reporting Agencies to Remove Most Medical Debt From Credit Reports Effective July 1st
- Primary Care Physician Turnover Generated $979M in Excess Health Care Spending
- Certain States, Practice Areas Impacted by Increasing Medical Liability Insurance Premiums
March 2022 - Vol. 38 No. 3
- Hospital Payment Guidelines Under Review by Maryland Stakeholder Working Group
- Large Hospital Mergers Altering the Health Care Landscape
- ACH Network Payment Volume Grew 6.1% During the Fourth Quarter of 2021
February 2022 - Vol. 38 No. 2
- Agency-Client Engagement Under New Federal Regulations
- Most Americans Facing Medical Debt Owe Over $2,000
- Health Care M&A Transactions Continue to Drop
January 2022 - Vol. 38 No. 1
- Managing Digital Identities in Health Care is Vital
- Hiring Concerns Top of Mind for Third-Party Debt Collectors
- Serious Financial Problems on the Rise in U.S. Despite Pandemic Relief Funds
December 2021 - Vol. 37 No. 12
- Jump-Start Your Advocacy Strategy for 2022
- M&A Report Shows Regional Partnerships Drive Third-Quarter Revenue
- Average Family Insurance Premiums On the Rise in 2021
- Your Guide to the Reg F Model Validation Notice
November 2021 - Vol. 37 No. 11
- Quick tips on how to protect client and consumer data
- Third in a Series of Interim Final Rules Seeks to Implement No Surprises Act
- Report Shows an Increase in M&A Regional Partnerships in the Last Quarter
October 2021 - Vol. 37 No. 10
- Perpetual Motion – HIPPA turned 25 in August
- Health Care Bankruptcy Filings Drop in Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic
- Pros and Cons of OPPS Proposed Rule
September 2021 - Vol. 37 No. 9
- CFPB Finalizes Nov. 30 Effective Date for Reg F: Health Care Collection Trends to Watch
- Health Coverage Options at Small Businesses Remain Stable Throughout Pandemic
- Commonwealth Fund Survey Shows Increase in National Medical Debt
- Post-Pandemic Medical Debt in the U.S.
August 2021 - Vol. 37 No. 8
- HHS Issues Interim Final Rule on Surprise Medical Bills
- Ask the Compliance Officer: What’s the Deal with the FCC’s Order on Automated Calls?
- FCC Adopts Order for Reporting Unlawful Robocalls
- Balance Billing Protections by State
July 2021 - Vol. 37 No. 7
- CFPB Issues FAQ on Electronic Fund Transfer Error Resolution
- ACA Cast: Checks and Balances on Federal Medical Debt Collection Legislation
- Workplace Planning: Updated Guidance on Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Laws Released
- Maryland Advances Medical Debt Law
June 2021 - Vol. 37 No. 6
- ACA-Supported Case in 8th Circuit Clarifies Debt Collectors’ Role in Providing 501(r) Financial Assistance Policies
- Communications and Protected Health Information
- Survey Shows Trends in Medical Bills Causing Debt
May 2021 - Vol. 37 No. 5
- Record retention requirements under Regulation F.
- CFPB Rescinds Additional Policy Statements on Credit Reporting and Supervisory Communications
- NACHA Announces New Electronic Payments Rule
- Third-Party Collection Tradelines
April 2021 - Vol. 37 No. 4
- Talking Points: Successful Consumer Communications Strike the Right Balance Between Care and Collecting
- New Surprise Medical Bills Law to Take Effect Jan. 1, 2022
- The Possible Benefits to Removing the Firewall to Affordable Care Act Marketplaces
March 2021 - Vol. 37 No. 3
- How to get ready for the CFPB’s rule for the debt collection industry.
- Uncompensated Care Continues an Upward Trend
- Key Takeaways from HFMA Survey
February 2021 - Vol. 37 No. 2
- Consistency is Key with Medical Debts
- FCC Proceeds with Best Practices of Hospital Robocall Protection Group
- Pulling Credit Reports: What’s Permissible?
January 2021 - Vol. 37 No. 1
- Idaho Legislation on Medical Debt Extraordinary Collection Actions is in Effect
- Health and Human Services Proposes HIPAA Privacy Rule Changes
- CMS Floats Changes to Health Care Data Exchange in New Rules
December 2020 - Vol. 36 No. 12
- Spotlight on Price Transparency
- Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic Cause Increase in Health Care Consumerism
- Younger Generations Fuel Health Care Consumerism
November 2020 - Vol. 36 No. 11
- Executive Order Includes Health Care Data Request Impacting ARM Industry
- Snapshot: Best Practices for Patient-Friendly Billing
- Survey: Health Care Cost Burdens in Employer Plans Remain ‘High’
October 2020 - Vol. 36 No. 10
- Hospitals Receiving CARES Money Banned from Surprise Billing on COVID-19 Cases
- Physician Practice Patterns Changing As a Result of COVID-19
- Two of Five People with Jobs Affected by the Coronavirus Pandemic Also Are Experiencing Health Insurance Insecurity
September 2020 - Vol. 36 No. 9
- If you’re using caller ID blocking, you should be aware of potential compliance concerns that may arise under federal case law
- FCC Holds Inaugural Hospital Robocall Protection Group Meeting
- Transforming Payment Structures for the Health Care Industry
August 2020 - Vol. 36 No. 8
- Currently, almost 30 states have enacted some level of surprise billing protection, with other states considering similar legislation
- Survey Says: ARM Industry Returns $90.1 Billion to the Economy
- Early Out vs. Bad Debt Collections
July 2020 - Vol. 36 No. 7
- Fax to Consumer’s Attorney Not Actionable under the FDCPA
- Almost One- Third of Respondents Reported Falling Behind on Monthly Bills
- Access to Rural Health Care Viewed as Troublesome by Likely Voters
June 2020 - Vol. 36 No. 6
- ACA SearchPoint provides information on state laws concerning community property.
- Hospitals Receiving CARES Money Banned from Surprise Billing on COVID-19 Cases
- Physician Practice Patterns Changing As a Result of COVID-19
- Two of Five People with Jobs Affected by the Coronavirus Pandemic Also Are Experiencing Health Insurance Insecurity
May 2020 - Vol. 36 No. 5
- When was the last time you reviewed your compliance procedures related to 501(r)?
- U.S. Chamber Publishes COVID-19 Loan Guide to Help Small Businesses
- New Medical Debt Collection Bill on the Books in Idaho
April 2020 - Vol. 36 No. 4
- Health Care Billing Practices – What’s New and What You Need to Know
- 19 Rural Hospitals Shut Down in 2019 Marking Worst Year of Closures
- Legal Corner – Court Sides with Industry
March 2020 - Vol. 36 No. 3
- What Happens in California Doesn’t Always Stay in California
- HHS Resolves about 99% HIPAA-Related Complaints
- From 2007 to 2015, the number of beneficiaries ages 65 to 69 increased more than any other age group as baby boomers joined Medicare.
February 2020 - Vol. 36 No. 2
- Congress Eyes Medical Debt in New Legislation
- Trump Extends Comment Period for Proposed Rule on Price Transparency
- Financial Consequences of Serious Illness for Medicare Beneficiaries, 2018
January 2020 - Vol. 36 No. 1
- Health Care M&A: What is the Future for the ARM Industry
- After 15 Years, New Federal Overtime Rule Advances Salary Thresholds
- Data Watch: U.S. Health Care Sector Revenue
December 2019 - Vol. 35 No. 12
- States Step Up to Resolve the Surprise Billing Issue—But, is it enough?
- Court Dismisses TCPA Violation on Text Messages Reportedly Sent Using ATDS
- Health Care M&A Volume Declines in Q3
November 2019 - Vol. 35 No. 11
- Insights from recent case law and the CFPB’s proposed rules can help you navigate issues
surrounding medical debt credit reporting practices. - Hospitals trying to figure out how to post their rates per CMS proposed requirement
- SBA Encourages CFPB to Mitigate Rule’s Impact on Small Business
October 2019 - Vol. 35 No. 10
- Costs of Data Breaches Growing Across Health Care Industry
- Trump Executive Order Opens Door or Hospital Price Transparency
- Poll Shows a Majority of Americans Worry About Hackers
- Americans’ Lack of Trust in Institutional Data Security
September 2019 - Vol. 35 No. 9
- ACA SearchPoint provides information on state collection laws for medical debt
- As Health Care Premiums Increase, States Look for Solutions
- Texas Enacts Healthcare Measures Impacting Credit Reporting and “Surprise” Medical Billing
- New York’s Arbitration-focused surprise billing law touted as model
August 2019 - Vol. 35 No. 8
- JAMA Study Finds 36% of Virginia Hospitals Garnishing Wages Over Unpaid Bills
- Surprise Medical Bills: Unforeseen Out-of-Network Charges Cause Concern Among Consumers
- Senate Health Committee Votes to Reduce Health Care Costs
- The Cost of Data Breaches is Significant for Health and Financial Organizations
July 2019 - Vol. 35 No. 7
- Washington Governor Signs Debt Collection Bills
- Affordable Care Act: State Reinsurance Programs
- Employer Plans Leaving More Adults Underinsured
June 2019 - Vol. 35 No. 6
- Balance it Out; Remaining current on state and federal legislative updates may be the best medicine for dealing with “balance billing” questions.
- Healthcare Costs: What Keeps You Up at Night?
- Nearly Half of U.S. Adults Report Significant Concern That a Major Health Event Will Result in Personal Bankruptcy
May 2019 - Vol. 35 No. 5
- Reporting for Duty – FCRA amendments related to veterans’ medical debts
- HHS Payment Model Designed to Meet Beneficiaries’ Emergency Needs
- Oregon Measure Addresses Indigent Care
- Million-Dollar Lawsuit Results from Insurer Sending Payment to Patients – not Doctors
April 2019 - Vol. 35 No. 4
- HHS Report: Record Settlements for HIPAA Violations Reached in 2018
- Senator Chuck Grassley to IRS: How Many Hospitals Comply with 501(r) Requirements?
- How Insurance Coverage Impacts Consumers’ Ability to Pay
March 2019 - Vol. 35 No. 3
- HHS Issues Voluntary Cybersecurity Guidance for Health Care Providers
- Why a Patient-Friendly Billing and Payment System Matters
- Patients Prefer Payment Plans for Medical Bills
- Impact of Cybersecurity Threats for Small Businesses
February 2019 - Vol. 35 No. 2
- Health are Providers Report Status of Revenue Cycle Management
- Employer-Based Insurance Premiums Create Growing Burden for Families
- BillingTree Survey Reveals Increase in Shift to Online Payments
- Insurance Payments on the Rise
January 2019 - Vol. 35 No. 1
- A Healthy Business Relationship
- Senators Cosponsor Legislation to End Surprise Medical Bills; Lower Health Care Costs
- Revenue Cycle Management Industry is Poised for Growth
December 2018 – Vol. 34 No. 12
- Emergency Brake – Common collection challenges that arise from the emergency room
- Survey Shows Greater Financial Strain from Consumers with Serious Illness
- Medical Debt Declines with Patients’ Age
November 2018 – Vol. 34 No. 11
- Protecting Health Care Information
- Are You a Health Care Collection Expert?
- Health Care Market Concentration
October 2018 – Vol. 34 No. 10
- Safe and Sound – How well do you understand privacy considerations under HIPAA?
- Data Breach Risks Continue in the Health Care Industry
- Are Health Care Costs Affordable to Most Americans?
- Patient Records Impacted by Data Breach Incidents
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