The Real Economy Blog

Rick Kes, Senior Manager, Health Care Senior Analyst

@HealthCare_CPA

Rick has over a decade of experience providing audit and consultative services predominately to organizations in the health care industry. He has served a wide variety services for organizations ranging from large organizations with more than $12 billion in annual revenue to small, standalone entities with less than $1 million in annual revenue. Rick has served clients across the health care continuum including integrated health systems, physician groups, safety-net hospitals, health insurance clients, and other various health care related entities. Rick has experience in governmental, not for profit, and statutory accounting standards.

Rick has played a role on several due diligence engagements as a dedicated health care professional resource. In 2018, he was selected as a senior analyst in RSM’s cutting edge Industry Eminence Program, which positions its senior analysts to understand, forecast and communicate economic, business and technology trends shaping the industries RSM serves. These senior analysts advise clients on conditions impacting middle market leaders.

Medical cost ratio is a growing concern among health insurers

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In recent weeks, health insurers Centene Corp., UnitedHealth Group Inc., and Anthem Inc. released earnings. Two others, Molina Healthcare Inc. and Humana Inc., will report later this month. Among the worrisome trends discussed on their earnings calls is a growing medical cost ratio, or MCR, the percent of premium the insurer spends on claims and expenses ... READ MORE >

Health care faces demand for pricing transparency

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On June 24, President Trump signed an executive order designed to improve transparency in the pricing of health care. It’s the latest move in an environment where consumers are exercising power over the cost of treatment, an area that historically offered them little wiggle room. Health care executives must consider that their consumers (patients) are now ... READ MORE >

As consumers gain leverage, lower health care deductibles are forthcoming

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Over the past decade, higher deductibles have become standard for the majority of health care plans in the United States. That standard could change, however, as consumers gain a louder voice in the health care value equation. Nearly half of individuals covered by employer-sponsored health plans have a high deductible plan, or HDP. Of those individuals, ... READ MORE >

Investors eye hospital revenue bonds in search of yield

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Investors are eyeing higher-yield hospital revenue bonds amid bargain prices underscored by the 10-year US Treasury, which is priced at its lowest level since 2017. But health systems have not yet stepped up to issue more debt to meet demand. Several bond deals issued in the first few months of 2019 have seen significant over-subscription, signaling more ... READ MORE >

Health care deal outlook for 2019 good, despite slow start to year–panel

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Health care deals are down to start 2019, but the outlook is good, largely due to of the amount of dry powder on the sidelines, a recent panel of private equity professionals noted earlier this month. The panel discussion, entitled “Financing the Deal,” was hosted by The Nashville Health Care Council, and featured representatives from four private equity ... READ MORE >

Why health systems are buying into schools to offset their labor shortage

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Some health care systems are using acquisitions to install their own talent pipelines in response to a shortage of skilled labor. In March, HCA Healthcare Inc., the large, publicly traded national hospital system, acquired a majority stake in Galen College of Nursing, a for-profit nursing school. In April, another large health system, non-profit Atrium ... READ MORE >

Innovation is now part of the insurance ratings mix

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Innovation appears to have reached the risk-averse insurance industry. A few weeks ago A.M. Best issued a press release seeking comment on draft criteria for scoring and assessing innovation at the insurance companies it rates. “A.M. Best has captured innovation indirectly through the various building blocks of its rating process,” the company said, ... READ MORE >

As telemedicine grows, a ‘digital front door’ lowers health-care costs

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Telemedicine—like other industries where digitization of service has transformed an entire ecosystem—is dramatically changing health-care delivery. Many large integrated health systems view telemedicine as an opportunity to more affordably provide primary care. The technology allows patients to be examined virtually using two-way video conferencing for a ... READ MORE >

Medicaid expansion to lift health care in 2019

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Four states—Idaho, Nebraska, Utah and Montana— included Medicaid expansion on their ballots in 2018’s midterm elections. Montana’s ballot item was a renewal of expansion, which failed; the three other states saw Medicaid expansion initiatives pass, and we expect health care providers in those states to benefit in 2019. In addition, a few states saw party ... READ MORE >