Overview
- UnitedHealthcare introduced a six-month program to cut Medicare Advantage payment times for independent rural hospitals to under 15 days from under 30.
- The pilot operates in Oklahoma, Idaho, Minnesota, and Missouri, focusing on facilities identified as most in need of faster reimbursement.
- The company says the initiative will provide immediate cash-flow relief and generate results that could guide expansion to additional hospitals and markets.
- Rural hospital leaders have warned that proposed healthcare cuts in President Donald Trump’s tax and spending package could force service reductions or closures.
- The rollout follows a Senate Judiciary Committee report alleging aggressive diagnosis collection to boost Medicare Advantage revenue, and investors are watching a Jan. 27 earnings report after about a 39% one-year share decline.