government
Medicare proposes raising hospital rates by 2.3%
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted May 7, 2012
Medicare payments for general acute hospital care would increase by 2.3% in 2013 under a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposed rule.
The increase would reflect adjustments for inflation, productivity, and coding and documentation changes, CMS announced on April 24. Pay also would be linked to an inpatient quality reporting program. Hospitals that do not successfully participate in the program would receive a payment update of just 0.3%.
But coding changes would lead to payment reductions for some hospital services, the American Hospital Assn. said in a statement. The association has accused the Medicare agency of using outdated data and a flawed methodology to value services. “Their actions show a lack of understanding over the reality that hospitals care for patients with complicated medical needs, and payments to hospitals for these services are already below the cost of providing the care.”
Patient advocacy groups supported a proposal to add quality measures on critical patient safety. New measures would help reduce adverse events and hospital-acquired conditions, said Debra L. Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families.
CMS is accepting formal comments on the rule until June 25. It is expected to finalize any changes by August.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/05/07/gvbf0507.htm.
