Preventability of early vs late readmissions
Editor's Note Early readmissions (within 7 days of discharge) were more likely to be preventable and amenable to hospital-based interventions, and late readmissions (8 to 30 days after discharge) were less likely to be preventable and more amenable to ambulatory and home-based interventions, this study finds. In this study of…
CMS issues FY 2019 hospital IPPS proposed rule
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on April 24 issued its hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) proposed rule for FY 2019. The proposed rule increases rates by 1.75%, which reflects the projected market-basket update of 2.8% for hospitals that were meaningful users of electronic health…
Medicare program linked to reduced readmission disparities between black, white patients
Editor's Note Black and white disparities in hospital readmission rates narrowed after the introduction of Medicare’s Hospital Readmission Reduction Program that penalizes higher than expected readmissions; however, black and white gaps still persist and minority serving hospitals continued to be penalized more by the program, this study finds. During the…
Inpatient surgery readmission trends during HRRP
Editor's Note Surgical readmission rates have declined in the past decade, and rates of decline increased during the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP) period, this study finds. Between 2005 and 2014, rates of readmission across 8 targeted procedures declined from 12.2% to 8.6%. Before the Affordable Care Act, rates of readmission…
Study: MIS vs open surgery in Medicare population
Editor's Note In this study led by Martin A. Makary, MD, MPH, professor of surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) was associated with better outcomes than open procedures in the Medicare population. Of 233,984 Medicare patients who had one of seven common surgical…
CMS extends deadline for eCQM data, EHR incentive program submission
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is notifying eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals that they now have until March 16 to attest for Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program requirements for CY 2017 and to submit electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM) data for the…
CMS grants exceptions to ASCs in areas affected by natural disasters
Editor's Note Because of the impact of several recent natural disasters, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is granting exceptions for Medicare quality reporting requirements to ASCs in affected areas, the February 12 ASCA News reports. Exceptions include: ASCs in two California counties affected by wildfires ASCs located…
Editorial
Uncertainty was the defining characteristic of the healthcare industry in 2017 as regulatory changes were proposed, rejected, revised, or tabled for now. The individual insurance mandate was repealed as part of a year-end tax reform bill—a victory for an administration that favors deregulation, but also a change that is projected…
CMS proposes coverage change for MRI with implanted cardiac devices
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on January 11 issued a proposal to modify its national coverage determination for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to include patients who have implanted cardiac devices. Proposed changes include the expansion of coverage for patients with cardiac devices that are approved or…
CMS launches new data submission system for Quality Payment Program
Editor's Note The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on January 2 that physicians and other eligible clinicians participating in the Quality Payment Program can begin submitting their 2017 performance data using a new system on the Quality Payment Program website (qpp.cms.gov). The new system is an improvement…
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