Beyond the rate increase — Final rule issued on Medicare IPPS payment policies

Description

Abstract: CMS recently issued its final rule updating the fiscal year 2013 Medicare payment policies and rates under the Inpatient Prospective Payment System. This 1,100-page rule implements key elements of two new programs under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) Program, among other things. Hospitals can lose part of their operating payments if they fail to meet these programs’ standards. This article discusses provisions of the rule that affect readmissions, value-based purchasing and IQR.