On August 2, 2013, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2014 IPPS Final Rule. In the final rule, CMS made a few revisions from the proposed rule related to the Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) calculation
Medicare released a proposed rule in the Federal Register , “Medicare Program; Part B Inpatient Billing in Hospitals,” in March 2013. That proposed rule, in combination with the ruling for Part A to B denial rebilling—which was effective immediately on publication—is intended to get a handle on a huge area of heartburn for hospitals.
On June 22, 2012, the IRS issued proposed regulations regarding several additional requirements enacted by the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act applicable to tax-exempt hospitals.
Payment Rate Updates CMS has proposed a 2.1 percent update to the federal operating standardized amount. This is based on a 3 percent market basket update, reduced by two factors mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA): a 0.8 percent economy wide productivity adjustment and an additional 0.1 percent reduction.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is accepting comments through June 25, 2012, on the proposed rule changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) for federal fiscal year (FY) 2013. The proposed rule identifies CMS’ changes to the annual payment policy updates for hospitals as well as revisions to the wage index, quality reporting requirements and value-based purchasing. The proposed Payment Rate Updates establish the FY 2013 operating standardized amount at $5,325.62, a 2.1 percent increase from prior year for those reporting quality data.
The May 11, 2012, Federal Register includes the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed rule changes to the Long-Term Care Hospitals Prospective Payment System (LTCH PPS) for federal fiscal year 2013. Among the changes in the proposed rule: LTCH Rate Updates: The proposed LTCH-specific market is based solely on Medicare cost report data of LTCHs and excludes Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs) and Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities (IPFs) for the first time
In accordance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the Secretary of Health and Human Services issued a report to Congress on April 11, 2012, addressing a plan to reform the Medicare wage index methodology.
On February 16, 2012, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published proposed rules for reporting and returning overpayments. While providers and suppliers have been reporting and returning overpayments from the Medicare program for years, section 6402(a) of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act established a new section of the Social Security Act that essentially requires a provider or supplier receiving an overpayment from the Medicare program to report it in writing and return it to the appropriate entity, at the correct address.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued proposed rules to update the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) prospective payment rates and quality incentive program (QIP) and ambulance fee schedules, as well as proposed changes to the definition of Durable Medical Equipment (DME). CMS projects payment rates for dialysis treatments will increase by 1.8 percent, representing a projected inflation (or ESRD market basket) increase of 3 percent, less a projected productivity adjustment of 1.2 percent as required by statute, effective for dialysis treatments furnished for calendar year 2012.