Hospital Outpatient Panel Update

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the following announcement related to the first meeting of the Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment. As mentioned in the press release, this panel’s recommendations carry heavy weight on how rural hospitals administer outpatient therapeutic services to their patients. This meeting has become more critical with HHS’ announcement that it will end the direct supervision enforcement moratorium for Critical Access Hospitals and rural PPS facilities with fewer than 100 beds in January 2014. “The attached Federal Register notice announces the first semi-annual meeting of the Advisory Panel on Hospital Outpatient Payment (HOP, the Panel) for 2013. The purpose of the Panel is to advise the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on the clinical integrity of the APC groups and their associated weights, and hospital outpatient therapeutic supervision issues. “Of particular interest to rural hospitals and CAHs, the Panel will be reviewing recommendations from the public (including hospitals, organizations, associations) on the appropriate supervision level (general, direct, or personal) for individual hospital outpatient therapeutic services…” Click here for more information from NRHA about this announcement.