Association of geriatric-specific characteristics with postop readmissions
Editor's Note In this study from the University of Virginia, new geriatric-specific characteristics were found to raise the risk of elderly surgical patients having unplanned readmissions within a month of leaving the hospital. The four geriatric-specific risk factors for readmission include: cognitive impairment requiring another person to sign the patient’s…
Medicare may overpay for postop care
Editor's Note Medicare may be overpaying surgeons for postoperative care they provide to patients, according to a new Rand Corporation analysis in the January 23 New England Journal of Medicine. The authors of the analysis suggest that federal officials should incorporate ways to more objectively measure the amount of postoperative…
Study challenges concerns about HRRP
Editor's Note This study from the division of cardiology at Dallas’ University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and the Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, challenges concerns about Medicare’s Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP)--ie, that it leaves patients more vulnerable and increases postdischarge mortality rates. Analyzing inpatient and outpatient…
Spending, quality effects of Medicare’s bundled payments for lower-extremity joint replacement
Editor's Note In this study, researchers found that over a 3-year period, compared to no participation, participation in Medicare’s Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) program was associated with a 1.6% decrease in average lower extremity joint replacement spending with no changes in quality, driven by early participants. When looking…
House passes year-end bill that repeals ACA taxes including medical device tax
Editor's Note The US House of Representatives on December 17 passed a year-end spending bill that repeals several Affordable Care Act (ACA) taxes, including the 40% tax on generous health insurance plans and the 2.3% tax on the sale of medical devices, the December 17 Reuters reports. The bill also…
CMS expects greater scrutiny from Joint Commission surveyors
[This article from the January 2020 issue of OR Manager summarizes information presented at the 2019 OR Manager Conference. The presenter offered tips to help attendees comply with Joint Commission standards and achieve a successful Joint Commission survey. Readers are asked to note the following points of clarification: The presentation…
To avoid penalties, know the rules for quality reporting
Keeping up with Medicare’s regulatory and reporting requirements for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) can be as difficult as ensuring physicians arrive to start their cases on time. “Regulations can change frequently,” says Gina Throneberry, MBA, RN, CASC, CNOR, director of education and clinical affairs for the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association…
Hospital-based care coordination strategies linked to CMS star ratings
Editor's Note Care coordination strategies were found to be associated with high overall hospital quality star ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in this study. A total of 710 general acute care noncritical access hospitals that received star ratings and responded to the 2015 American Hospital…
A primer for starting a total joint replacement program
Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) have increasing incentives to offer total joint replacements (TJR) as Medicare expands the list of covered procedures. However, there’s a lot to consider in this particular service line. “There are many things to arrange that aren’t required with other service lines, particularly as home care of…
CMS releases 2020 final payment rule for ASCs, HOPDs
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on November 1 released its final payment rule for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). CMS added eight codes to the ASC-payable list, including total knee arthroplasty. CMS also removed total hip arthroplasty and seven spine codes from…
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