Creative payment strategy helps ensure a future for teaching hospitals - Cover Story

Healthcare Financial Management, Nov, 1998 by Donald R. Vancil, A. Laurie W. Shroyer

Teaching hospitals are well positioned to address this unique social and educational mission. Only by establishing mechanisms to ensure future availability of a physician workforce and access to high-quality healthcare services can states fulfill their responsibility to their citizens. Thus, the Colorado MTH program represents an investment in the healthcare infrastructure of tomorrow.

a. Mulhausen, R., Kaemmerer, C., Foley, J., and Schultz, A., "Education Costs in Two Public Teaching Hospitals," Academic Medicine, 1989, pp. 314-319.

b. Colorado Hospital Association's annual report, 1991-96.

c. University of Colorado Office of Graduate Medical Education, Annual Reports for Housestaff Funding, 1990-98.

d. Medicare A, Part A, Annual Report for Colorado Hospital Graduate Medical Education Payments, 1990-1996.

e. Vancil, Donald R., and Shroyer, A. Laurie W., "Refinancing Medicaid: One State's Approach," HEALTHCARE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, March 1996, pp. 26-30.

f. Chaconas, Judy, "Problems of Uncompensated Care Deepen: PROPAC Report," Trustee, January 1992, p. 8.

g. Wagner, Lynn, "Primary-care Requirement Urged for Disproportionate-share Funds," Modern Healthcare, December 20-27, 1993, p. 14.

h. Solomon, Christine M., "State Budget Problems Affect Health Care Legislation," Health Systems Review, September/October 1991, pp. 18-19.

i. Cook, Michael H., "Taxes and Donation Rules May Curtail Medicaid Reimbursement," Provider, December 1991, pp. 25-26.

j. Nye, Christine H, "Incompatible Goals: Experiences with Medicaid Program Offers Lessons about the Economics and Politics of Public-sector Health Insurance," Health Management Quarterly, Fourth Quarter 1991, pp. 25-28.

k. Horvath, Jane, "Medicaid: Successes, Failures, and Prospects," Intergovernmental Perspective, Spring 1992, pp. 12-14, 19.

l. Tallia, A. F., Swee, D. E., Winter, R. O., Lichtig, L. K., Knabe, F. M., and Knauf, R. A., "Family Practice Graduate Medical Education and Hospitals' Patient Care Costs in New Jersey," Academic Medicine, September 1994, pp. 747-753.

m. Association of American Medical Colleges, "Statement on Teaching Hospitals and Medicare Disproportionate Share Payments," Academic Medicine Events and News, Web site publication (www.aamc.org/events/testimny/deramo.htm).

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Donald R. Vancil, MBA, is a healthcare financial analyst, Colorado Medicaid Program, Denver, Colorado.

A. Laurie W. Shroyer, PhD, MSHA, is an assistant professor, Division of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado, a health research scientist, Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Denver, Colorado, and a member of HFMA's Colorado Chapter.