CMS Launches Quality Care Finder

From the HHS Press Release: Efforts Give Consumers Information To Inform Their Care The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new tool for patients and caregivers and other enhanced initiatives today to empower consumers to make informed choices about their health care, and to help improve the quality of care in America’s […]

IPPS Final Rule FY 2012

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From the HHS Press Release: Final Rule Strengthens Tie Between Payment and Quality Improvement The final rule updates payment policies and rates for acute care hospitals paid under the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS), as well as hospitals paid under the Long Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System (LTCH PPS).   The final rule also strengthens […]

IPPS Final Rule Issued for FY 2012

From the HHS Press Release: Final Rule Strengthens Tie Between Payment and Quality Improvement The final rule updates payment policies and rates for acute care hospitals paid under the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS), as well as hospitals paid under the Long Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System (LTCH PPS). The final rule also strengthens the […]

CMS Implements Payment, Policy Changes For Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities

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From the HHS Press Release: Final rule adopts measures for new IRF Quality Reporting Program CMS issued a final rule Friday that updates Medicare payment policies and rates for more than 1,200 freestanding and hospital-based inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) in Fiscal Year (FY) 2012. The final rule increases IRF payment rates under the IRF Prospective […]

More Accurate FY 2012 Payments For Medicare Skilled Nursing Facilities

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From the HHS Press Release: Case-Mix Indexes Recalibrated CMS announced a final rule reducing Medicare skilled nursing facility (SNF) Prospective Payment System (PPS) payments in FY 2012 by $3.87 billion, or 11.1 percent lower than payments for FY 2011. The FY 2012 rates correct for an unintended spike in payment levels and better align Medicare […]

Final Wage Index Changes For Medicare Hospices Increase FY 2012 Payments By 2.5%

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From the HHS Press Release: Case-Mix Indexes Recalibrated Hospices serving people with Medicare will see a 2.5 percent increase in their Medicare payments for fiscal year (FY) 2012, according to a final regulation released  by CMS.   Hospices are also called upon to begin reporting on the quality of care received by Medicare patients, as a […]

RAC Program Results (June, 2011)

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Medicare Fee-for-Service Recovery Audit Program as of June 17, 2011 CMS has prepared an overview of the combined results of the RAC program to date. This document also highlights the top issue for each contractor.   Click here to download the document.  

Private Nonprofit Health Plans To Increase Competition & Choice

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From the HHS Press Release: CMS took steps to encourage the creation of Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans (CO-OPs), new private non-profit, consumer-governed health insurance plans that will help increase competition and give consumers and small businesses additional affordable health insurance choices.   CMS is proposing standards for CO-OPs, and for qualifying for $3.8 billion in […]

Private Nonprofit Health Plans To Increase Competition & Choice

From the HHS Press Release: CMS took steps to encourage the creation of Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans (CO-OPs), new private non-profit, consumer-governed health insurance plans that will help increase competition and give consumers and small businesses additional affordable health insurance choices.   CMS is proposing standards for CO-OPs, and for qualifying for $3.8 billion in […]