Study: Pay-for-Performance Did Not Reduce Deaths in Medicare Pilot Program

A large Medicare pilot program that paid hospitals more if they consistently administered certain medications and vaccinations, provided appropriate counseling for people with heart conditions, or hit other quality targets did not reduce the number of patients who died within 30 days of admission to the hospital, a study published online Wednesday by the New England Journal of Medicine found.

The results are “sobering,” the authors wrote. The program served as a model for a major national initiative being rolled out this year.

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Source: Boston.com/The Boston Globe