HFMA Releases Survey Results, Announces Achievement Award Winner

The Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) will award the 2007 Frederick C. Morgan Achievement Award–the Association’s highest individual honor–to John P. McGuire, FHFMA, CPA, executive vice president, CFO, and assistant treasurer of the board of St. Anthony’s Medical Center in St. Louis, during the annual Chairman’s Reception and Banquet at HFMA’s Annual National Institute, June 24-27 in San Diego.

McGuire is the 49th recipient of this prestigious award that honors career long contributions to healthcare financial management and HFMA. “John is an inspiring leader who treats others with respect and dignity,” says Mark S. Solari, FHFMA, CPA, past president of HFMA’s Greater St. Louis Chapter, adding that McGuire is “a very good motivator and mentor.”

Recently, HFMA released the results of a survey of hospital financial executives. More than 95 percent, according to the results, say they have made "some" or "significant" progress toward setting discount policies for uninsured patients.

HFMA’s hope with the report is to urge hospital executives to take the lead in changing the nation’s hospital pricing system. Also, the report suggests, hospitals should not charge uninsured patients more than insured patients.

Hospitals are already pushing towards a more "rational pricing system," the survey finds:

• 97% of executives say they have moved toward instituting discount policies for the uninsured
• 71% say they are pushing for more understanding of key pricing points among staff that deal with patients
• 59% are developing formal written policies for providing estimates to patients
• 41% are pursuing a “system approach to establishing rational, easily accessible pricing information”