The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has announced that it is making available Medicare payment information for 61 procedures performed in ambulatory surgery centers. In June, Medicare posted what it pays for 41 inpatient procedures. The ASC data are intended to help consumers select the most appropriate setting for high-quality, efficient care for surgical procedures. The data, posted at www.cms.hhs.gov/HealthCareConInit/, will include charge and Medicare payment for ASC facility costs for commonly performed procedures at the county, state, and national level. CMS is also concurrently releasing data on “Other Commonly Performed Procedures in ASCs,” which contain similar charge and payment data, but for facility costs related to services of high utilization.
CMS also announced a new Medicare pilot project that is intended to provide more comprehensive and personalized information on quality and cost that builds on private-sector quality measurement efforts. The quality information will be based on services provided to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and individuals with private health insurance in select states--Arizona, California, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin--and will be available to providers, other insurers, employers, and the public. Read the press release.
