QRS

$2 million earmarked specifically for WYOMING SMALL RURAL HOSPITALS


On April 22, HHS awarded over $150 million for small rural hospitals to fight the COVID-19 Pandemic. A little over $2 million of this, is earmarked for rural Wyoming hospitals through the Wyoming Department of Health . The action couldn’t have come at a better time.


Even before “coronavirus” became part of our current lexicon, a recent study revealed that “U.S. Not-For-Profit hospitals averaged a decline in operating margins of 21%, 2019 vs. 2018. And [Operating] margin at the smallest hospitals – those with fewer than 26 beds – declined 22.8%, which was the most significant year-over-year decline among any hospital type.“


When you add to declining operating margins, a pandemic that has spurred an unpresented spike in unemployment claims, and corresponding loss of employer-based health insurance – you have a situation where hospitals must brace for an influx of self-pay patients. This puts especially great pressure on the hospital’s eligibility program, because if you can’t find health insurance for these patients, and the next nearest hospital is miles and miles away – you might see these patients cycle through your ER for years to come.


A temporary solution, might be “Presumptive Eligibility.” If your hospital isn’t one of the 35 Qualified Providers for Medicaid “presumptive eligibility” in Wyoming - you may wish to apply. This program provides temporary, but immediate patient eligibility for Medicaid benefits and guaranteed provider payments. Application forms and instructions can be found at the bottom of the official Wyoming Medicaid page.


A more long-term solution, is offered by Quality Reimbursement Services. QRS receives daily data feeds from the hospital’s Admissions and Discharge offices. Proprietary software identifies Medicaid and/or Disability candidates from the data. And a team of experts in Dallas, TX will reach out to assist patients who are likely eligible for Medicaid and/or Disability in completing applications, responding to questions, appealing denials, etc. For more information, follow this link to the QRS Disability Eligibility solution.



Mike Vana
Associate
QUALITY REIMBURSEMENT SERVICES, INC.
(917) 592-5802
mvana@qualityreimbursement.com