Medicare contractors should more closely examine providers’ bad debt claims, HHS watchdog says
Medicare administrative contractors (MACs) soon could apply more scrutiny to providers’ reported bad debts if CMS implements recommendations from the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG). OIG in December issued a report in which it examined bad-debt reimbursement claims on Medicare cost reports spanning 2016 through 2018 for 67 randomly selected providers (including 29 hospitals). In those…
IPPS FY23 proposed rule: Medicare proposes changes to methodology for determining graduate medical education payments to teaching hospitals
The biggest change is an effort to comply with a court ruling on weighted FTE slots, while another change affects sharable slots for certain rural hospitals.
Medicare’s proposed increase for inpatient payments in FY23 doesn’t meet hospitals’ expectations
The hospital industry expressed disappointment with the proposed increase for inpatient payments in FY23.
Federal funding bill addresses 340B eligibility concerns but not some other points of interest for hospitals
An FY22 appropriations bill allows hospitals to remain in the 340B Drug Pricing Program if their eligibility had been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
For some 340B hospitals, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought an unanticipated and unwelcome loss of eligibility
Bringing longer stays and higher rates of deferred care, the COVID-19 pandemic is adversely affecting 340B eligibility for some hospitals.
HHS can continue using Worksheet S-10 to calculate uncompensated care payments after federal court ruling
A federal district court dealt hospitals a defeat in a case about uncompensated care payments, issuing a summary judgment in favor of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Current financial reporting practices inhibit healthcare policymaking, researchers say
Creation of a national database with information from health systems’ audited financial statements would give policymakers a better sense of how to respond to financial trends, according to researchers.
OIG report suggests Medicare pays too much to cover capital costs for new hospitals
A new federal report indicates CMS pays excessively to cover capital expenditures during the first two years of a hospital’s existence.
FY22 rule for the Inpatient Prospective Payment System finalizes a payment increase and key policy updates
The base payment increase for hospital inpatient services in FY22 will be 2.5%, according to a final rule issued by CMS.
Healthcare leaders offer direction on key CMS inpatient proposals for FY 2022
HFMA offers direction to CMS on several of its key inpatient proposals for 2021 as many healthcare leaders have expressed concern about these proposals.