Alex Kacik
@alex-kacik.bsky.social
I write about hospital operations for Modern Healthcare.
Hospitals are not increasing revenue fast enough to keep up with two factors entirely out of their control — inflation and the graying of America.
Read my latest data dive with @timbroderick.bsky.social here: bit.ly/4o6czrr via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
Read my latest data dive with @timbroderick.bsky.social here: bit.ly/4o6czrr via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
Hospital revenue stagnates amid inflation, sicker patients
Hospitals aim to diversify and increase revenue to offset inflation and higher operating costs.
www.modernhealthcare.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Hospitals are not increasing revenue fast enough to keep up with two factors entirely out of their control — inflation and the graying of America.
Read my latest data dive with @timbroderick.bsky.social here: bit.ly/4o6czrr via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
Read my latest data dive with @timbroderick.bsky.social here: bit.ly/4o6czrr via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
Rising anesthetist costs and declining reimbursement are squeezing rural and safety-net hospitals.
Health systems are training more CRNAs and streamlining operations. But those efforts may not be enough to stave off service cuts.
Read more here, thanks for your time: bit.ly/43dD2Md
Health systems are training more CRNAs and streamlining operations. But those efforts may not be enough to stave off service cuts.
Read more here, thanks for your time: bit.ly/43dD2Md
Anesthetist shortage and pay cuts strain hospital budgets
The combination of lower reimbursement and a growing anesthetist shortage could limit access to care and affect provider's expansion plans.
www.modernhealthcare.com
October 14, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Rising anesthetist costs and declining reimbursement are squeezing rural and safety-net hospitals.
Health systems are training more CRNAs and streamlining operations. But those efforts may not be enough to stave off service cuts.
Read more here, thanks for your time: bit.ly/43dD2Md
Health systems are training more CRNAs and streamlining operations. But those efforts may not be enough to stave off service cuts.
Read more here, thanks for your time: bit.ly/43dD2Md
Health systems are deploying an often-overlooked resource to combat a potential increase in uninsured patients — community health workers:
bit.ly/4oHUTEi via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
bit.ly/4oHUTEi via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
Looming uninsured surge may overwhelm ERs. Here’s who can help.
Health systems hope community health workers can help prevent patients from losing Medicaid coverage because of the new tax law.
bit.ly
August 18, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Health systems are deploying an often-overlooked resource to combat a potential increase in uninsured patients — community health workers:
bit.ly/4oHUTEi via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
bit.ly/4oHUTEi via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
A growing number of health system CEOs are planning to retire, exposing gaps in succession planning that could dent provider finances.
bit.ly/4ox3dGZ via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
bit.ly/4ox3dGZ via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
Health system CEOs head for the exit
Health systems are ramping up CEO successor searches, prioritizing a leader's ability to navigate financial uncertainty and deploy systemwide strategies.
bit.ly
August 14, 2025 at 3:07 PM
A growing number of health system CEOs are planning to retire, exposing gaps in succession planning that could dent provider finances.
bit.ly/4ox3dGZ via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
bit.ly/4ox3dGZ via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
Hospitals in urban areas are increasingly using a regulatory loophole to benefit from policies designed to support rural providers, a new @healthaffairs.bsky.social study found:
bit.ly/3HeFkTK via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
bit.ly/3HeFkTK via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
Rural aid loophole: Urban hospital dual status sparks concerns
The number of urban hospitals that also classify as rural has grown exponentially since 2017, potentially limiting the impact of rural health programs.
bit.ly
August 6, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Hospitals in urban areas are increasingly using a regulatory loophole to benefit from policies designed to support rural providers, a new @healthaffairs.bsky.social study found:
bit.ly/3HeFkTK via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
bit.ly/3HeFkTK via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
Keep an eye out for a provider-sponsored health plan acquisition later this month. I spoke to a handful of health systems with insurance offerings to unpack the benefits and challenges of controlling both care delivery and payment:
bit.ly/4lm9BOl via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
bit.ly/4lm9BOl via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
Insurance market shake-up spurs interest from integrated systems
Merger and acquisition talks have picked up among integrated health systems looking to expand provider-sponsored health plan offerings.
www.modernhealthcare.com
August 6, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Keep an eye out for a provider-sponsored health plan acquisition later this month. I spoke to a handful of health systems with insurance offerings to unpack the benefits and challenges of controlling both care delivery and payment:
bit.ly/4lm9BOl via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
bit.ly/4lm9BOl via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
Reposted by Alex Kacik
That rural health fund.. may help urban hospitals, @alex-kacik.bsky.social reports, because dually classified rural/urban hospitals increased from 3 in 2017 to 425 in 2023. "The $50 billion fund was supposed to be the savior of rural hospitals facing huge Medicaid cuts,” a Kansas hospital CEO said
Urban hospitals claim rural status, sparking worry over $50B fund
The number of urban hospitals that also classify as rural has grown exponentially since 2017, potentially limiting the impact of rural health programs.
www.modernhealthcare.com
August 5, 2025 at 2:26 PM
That rural health fund.. may help urban hospitals, @alex-kacik.bsky.social reports, because dually classified rural/urban hospitals increased from 3 in 2017 to 425 in 2023. "The $50 billion fund was supposed to be the savior of rural hospitals facing huge Medicaid cuts,” a Kansas hospital CEO said
Rural hospital CEOs are concerned urban providers will tap into the $50 billion rural health fund. Even so, the program will not be enough to mitigate looming Medicaid and Medicare cuts, they said.
Read more here: bit.ly/3IA8jl4 via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
Read more here: bit.ly/3IA8jl4 via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
Why rural hospitals are preparing for a $50B funding race
States and their respective hospitals have until the end of the year to prepare applications for the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program.
bit.ly
July 17, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Rural hospital CEOs are concerned urban providers will tap into the $50 billion rural health fund. Even so, the program will not be enough to mitigate looming Medicaid and Medicare cuts, they said.
Read more here: bit.ly/3IA8jl4 via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
Read more here: bit.ly/3IA8jl4 via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
“It is like we are preparing for a hurricane." Rural hospitals are planning for Medicaid and Medicare cuts linked to the OBBA. But there is only so much to cut, CEOs told me, noting a significant reduction in OB services over the past decade.
bit.ly/4lLT2vG via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
bit.ly/4lLT2vG via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
Rural hospitals eye service expansions to weather federal cuts
President Donald Trump's new tax cut law has pushed rural hospitals' service expansion strategies.
www.modernhealthcare.com
July 14, 2025 at 8:47 PM
“It is like we are preparing for a hurricane." Rural hospitals are planning for Medicaid and Medicare cuts linked to the OBBA. But there is only so much to cut, CEOs told me, noting a significant reduction in OB services over the past decade.
bit.ly/4lLT2vG via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
bit.ly/4lLT2vG via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
Health systems are cutting costs. Administrators have taken the brunt of the layoffs, which can lead to organizational overhauls. We looked at the financial pressures prompting these changes and the risks of rushing restructurings.
bit.ly/45PWkJL via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
bit.ly/45PWkJL via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
Hospitals restructure for efficiency — but at what cost?
Reimbursement pressures and proposed funding cuts are forcing many systems to rethink their governance models and trim their ranks.
bit.ly
July 1, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Health systems are cutting costs. Administrators have taken the brunt of the layoffs, which can lead to organizational overhauls. We looked at the financial pressures prompting these changes and the risks of rushing restructurings.
bit.ly/45PWkJL via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social
bit.ly/45PWkJL via @modernhealthcare.bsky.social