Hospital Accounting, written by Charles A. Borek, CPA, J.D., addresses a variety of unique operating circumstances that face hospitals and give rise to a multitude of accounting issues. Complicating this is the fact that hospitals may be organized as either for-profit or not-for-profit entities.
This Portfolio describes the fundamental concepts involved in accounting and financial reporting for hospitals. Since the majority of hospitals are not-for-profit, this Portfolio discusses in depth the accounting rules affecting these types of organizations highlighting major differences between not-for-profit and for-profit treatment.
The hospital industry is also heavily regulated, and this regulation impacts accounting and financial reporting in several ways. Most notably, hospitals rely extensively on third party payors, such as insurance companies and the government, for much of their revenues. The myriad of cost reimbursement and receivables issues are addressed, as are the charity care activities engaged in by not-for-profit hospitals to retain their tax-exempt status.
Hospitals receive, in addition to patient care revenue, income from ancillary services such as laboratories, gift shops, and physician office leases.
This Portfolio analyzes accounting for the most common categories of hospital revenues and offers suggestions for improved reporting and, to a lesser extent, financial management.
Although tax exemption is a major issue for not-for-profit hospitals, tax matters are only addressed insofar as they impact accounting and financial disclosure.
Hospital Accounting allows you to benefit from:
This Portfolio is included in the Accounting Policy & Practice Series, a comprehensive series of titles which explain, explicate, and offer commentary on a wide range of accounting and financial management topics, including revenue recognition, income taxes, leasing, business combinations, debt instruments, risk management, internal controls and more.
Detailed Analysis
I. Economic and Regulatory Perspectives
A. The State of the Industry
1. Acute Care vs. Clinic Care
2. General vs. Specialty Hospitals
3. Integrated Delivery Systems
4. Overview of Common Health Care Entities Other Than Acute Care Hospitals
a. Nursing Homes
b. Continuing Care Retirement Communities
c. Hospice Care Facilities
d. Home Health Agencies
e. HMOs and Other Managed Care Organizations
f. Ambulatory Care Organizations
B. The Regulatory Environment
1. Licensing and Accreditation
2. Patient Referrals
3. Peer Review Organizations
C. Sources of GAAP
1. Financial Accounting Standards Board
2. Government Accounting Standards Board
3. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
II. Types of Hospital Organizations
A. Not-for-Profit, Tax Exempt Hospitals
1. Board and Foundation Oversight
2. Importance of Maintaining Tax Exempt Status
B. Investor-Owned Hospitals
III. Contractual Relationships
A. Introduction
B. Physician Employment Agreements
1. Anti-Kickback and Stark Rules
2. Compensation and Benefits
3. Billing Issues
4. Other Contract Provisions
C. Executive Employment Agreements
1. Executive Employment Agreements in Context
2. Incentives
3. Stock Options
4. Phantom Stock and Stock Appreciation Rights
IV. General Accounting Considerations
Introductory Material
A. Fund Accounting and FASB Statement No. 117, Financial Statements for Not-for-Profit Organizations
1. Basics of Fund Accounting
2. FAS 117 and the Decline of Fund Accounting
B. General Accounting Policies
1. Netting of Accounts
2. APB 22: Disclosure of Accounting Policies as Applicable to Hospitals
3. Typical Hospital Disclosures
a. Organization
b. Exposure to Credit Risk
c. Investments
d. Charity Care
e. Transactions With Affiliates
f. Depreciation, Amortization, and Pension Costs
g. Information About a Hospital's Service Efforts
h. Other Disclosures to Consider
V. Cash and Cash Equivalents
A. General Accounting for Cash and Cash Equivalents
1. Determining Cash Equivalency
a. Effect of FASB Statement No. 95, Statement of Cash Flows
b. Disclosure Regarding Cash Equivalents
2. Restricted Donations
B. Funds Held as Fiduciary
1. Donations Held for Other Organizations
a. FASB Statement No. 136, Transfers of Assets to a Not-for-Profit Organization or Charitable Trust That Raises or Holds Contributions for Others
2. Split Interest Arrangements
VI. Investments
A. General Accounting for Investments
1. Investments in Subsidiaries and Other Equity-Method Investments
a. The Equity Method in General
b. Other Transfers Requiring Equity-Method Accounting
2. Non Equity-Method Investments in Debt and Equity Securities
a. Application of FASB Statement No. 115: Accounting for Certain Investments in Debt and Equity Securities, and FASB Statement No. 124: Accounting for Certain Investments Held by Not-For-Profit Organizations
b. Investments Without a Readily Ascertainable Fair Market Value
3. Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
B. Financial Statement Presentation
VII. Receivables
A. Physician Loans
1. Common Practices
2. Application of FASB Statement No. 114, Accounting by Creditors for Impairment of a Loan
B. Pledges
C. Receivables for Patient Care
1. Rate Setting
a. CPT Codes
b. Diagnostic Codes
c. HCPCS Codes
2. Estimated Final Settlements
3. State Waiver Contingencies Under Medicare
D. Financial Statement Presentation
VIII. Property, Equipment, and Other Assets
A. General Accounting for Property and Equipment
1. Real Estate
2. Equipment
B. General Accounting for Supplies and Other Assets
IX. Current Liabilities
A. General Accounting for Current Liabilities
1. Definitions and Classification
2. Internal Controls and Procurement Cards
B. Payroll Accounting
C. Current Liabilities Associated With Long Term Debt
X. Leases
A. General Considerations
B. Classification of Leases
C. Lease Terminations
XI. Long Term Obligations
A. General Accounting for Long Term Obligations
B. Tax-Exempt Debt and Financing Authorities
C. Advance Refundings
XII. Commitments and Contingencies
A. General Considerations: Applicability of FASB Statement No. 5, Accounting for Contingencies
B. Collectibility of Receivables
C. Malpractice Claims
D. Termination of Employee Benefit Plans
XIII. Net Assets and Equity
A. Basic Concepts
1. General Accounting for Equity in Investor-Owned Hospitals
2. Financial Statement Presentation
C. Not-for-Profit Hospitals
1. General Accounting for Net Assets in Not-for-Profit Hospitals
XIV. Revenues and Expenses
A. What Constitutes Revenue
B. Classification of Hospital Revenues
1. Primary Exchange Activities
2. Ancillary Exchange Activities
C. Reporting Expenses
XV. Affiliations and Related Organizations
A. Typical Affiliations
B. Consolidated Financial Statement Presentation
XVI. Accounting for Deferred Executive Compensation and Deferred Taxes
A. Importance of Executive Compensation in Financial Reporting
B. Deferred Compensation in General
C. Stock-Based Deferred Compensation
D. Deferred Taxes
XVII. Hospital Consolidations and Mergers
A. Background
B. Accounting for Hospital Combinations Under FASB Statement No. 141
D. Financial Reporting Issues
1. The Treatment of Goodwill
2. Consolidated or Combined Financial Statements
3. Notes to Combined or Consolidated Financial Statements
Working Papers
TABLE OF WORKSHEETS
Worksheet 1 Glossary
Worksheet 2 Table of Acronyms
Worksheet 3 Sample Chart of Accounts
Worksheet 4 List of Significant Accounting Pronouncements Principally Discussed
Bibliography
OFFICIAL
Statutes:
Legislation:
Regulations:
Internal Revenue Service:
Department of Health and Human Services:
State Laws:
Court Cases:
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants:
Emerging Issues Task Force:
Financial Accounting Standards Board:
Governmental Accounting Standards Board:
UNOFFICIAL
Books and Reports
Articles
Miscellaneous: