CMS Issues Final Rules for Inpatient, Hospice Payments

The CMS has finalized a rule (PDF) that decreases inpatient prospective payment system payments by $756 million overall. Meanwhile, long-term-care hospitals will see payments increase by 1.1%, or approximately $62 million in fiscal 2015, which starts Oct. 1.

The CMS Monday also released its final rule (PDF) for hospice payments in fiscal 2015. Those payments are expected to increase by 1.4%, or $230 million, over the current year.

The final inpatient rule applies to approximately 3,400 acute-care hospitals and 435 long-term-care hospitals, and will go into effect for discharges occurring on or after Oct. 1. Not all inpatient hospitals will see cuts. If they are participating in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program and regularly use electronic health records, their payments will be increased by 1.4%.

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Source: Modern Healthcare