Healthcare Payments Need To Radically Change

New AHA Report Predicts a Dire Financial Picture for Hospitals

A new AHA report finds that during 2021-2023, hospital costs grew 12.4%, more than two times faster than Medicare reimbursement at 5.2%. Hospital days cash on hand declined by 28.2% since 2022. In 2022, Medicare paid hospitals only 82% of their costs. Medicaid varies by state but traditionally pays between 50-60% of hospital costs. These two government payers constitute 70-80% of hospital patients.

While these facts depict a dire financial picture for hospitals, the future will be worse. Between government debt levels and the rapid aging of America, government funding can only get worse. The AHA’s solutions to raise current reimbursement are unrealistic. Taxpayers cannot afford more healthcare spending.

The solution is a radically new payment model that is simple to administer and rewards the right behaviors. AHA advocacy is missing the real opportunity. Healthcare payment reform is the topic of my upcoming presentation at Marcus Evans’ Healthcare CEO and Executive Strategy Summit, taking place May 20-21 in Westlake Village, CA.

Should we be more like Jeff Bezos? The Amazon founder reveals what death means to him

Do you ponder your own mortality? Are you afraid of death?

These are weighty questions, but Jeff Bezos has the answer: "No. I used to be afraid of death. I did. I remember as a young person being very scared of mortality, didn't want to think about it...And as I've gotten older...somehow that fear has gone away." 

He went on to add: "I would like to stay alive for as long as possible, but I'm really more focused on health span. I want to be healthy...I don't want the long decay...I have a lot of reasons to stay around, but mortality doesn't have the effect on me that it did maybe when I was in my twenties."

Coincidentally, this matches the message of my book, The Journey's End: An Investigation of Death and Dying In Modern America. Like Bezos, The Journey's End embraces the health span concept, and opposes the "long decay" that our modern medical system pushes on patients.

In our cynical age, this kind of honest introspection about mortality is exactly what's needed. Fortunately, my book is available on Amazon. I'm sure Jeff Bezos would approve! 

You can view the interview here.