CMS issues notice on ‘two-midnight’ rule payment cut

Editor's Note

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on December 1 published a notice with comment period on the basis for cutting inpatient hospital payments by 0.2% in accordance with its “two-midnight” rule.

The notice comes in response to an October 6 court ruling that challenged the payment cut and its underlying assumptions. The court ordered CMS to provide further justification and additional opportunity for hospitals to comment.

Comments will be received until February 2, 2016, and a final notice will be published March 18, 2016.

Comment date: To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided below, no later than 5 p.m. e.s.t. on February 2, 2016. In commenting, refer to file code CMS-1658-NC. Because of staff and resource limitations, we cannot accept comments by facsimile (FAX) transmission.