On August 2, CMS issued a final rule updating fiscal year
(FY) 2014 Medicare payment policies and rates for inpatient stays at general
acute care and long-term care hospitals (LTCHs). The rule improves value and
quality in hospital care and provides clarification about when a patient should
be admitted to the hospital and responds to recent concerns about extended
Medicare beneficiary stays in the hospital outpatient department.
The final FY 2014 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment
System (IPPS) rule increases overall hospital payments (capital and operating)
by $1.2 billion. The rule also moves forward with health care delivery system
reforms made possible by the Affordable Care Act. These include a new program
aimed at improving safety in hospitals and refining the Hospital Readmissions
Reduction program.
For information, please click here.
