In a new podcast series by a physician at association member NYC Health + Hospitals, Beth Feldpush, DrPH, the association's senior vice president of policy and advocacy, unpacks the complex patchwork of payments that keep essential hospitals afloat. 

America's Essential Hospitals commented on several policy proposals of interest to essential hospitals and responded to requests for information on maternal health, equity, and climate change.

The proposed fiscal year 2023 Inpatient Prospective Payment System rule would increase operating payment rates by 3.2 percent and make other changes to Medicare payment and quality reporting policies. CMS is accepting comments on the proposed rule until June 17.

A final rule with comment period from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services addresses the distribution of 1,000 new graduate medical education slots and other policies.

In a letter to Democratic congressional leadership, the association urges consideration of essential hospital priorities — including funding for critical workforce and hospital infrastructure needs and protecting the 340B Drug Pricing Program — in forthcoming budget reconciliation legislation.

The rule includes numerous policy and payment changes for Medicare’s Inpatient Prospective Payment System for fiscal year 2022, including a 2.5 percent increase in inpatient payment rates.

CMS on Aug. 2 released its fiscal year 2022 Inpatient Prospective Payment System final rule, which includes payment and quality reporting provisions. The rule does not finalize provisions related to new residency slots, organ acquisition costs, or Section 1115 waiver days. 

A proposed rule from CMS includes numerous changes for Medicare’s Inpatient Prospective Payment System for fiscal year 2022, including a 2.8 percent increase in inpatient payment rates and updates to quality reporting programs and the Medicare Shared Savings Program.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ proposed fiscal year 2022 Inpatient Prospective Payment System rule would increase operating payment rates by 2.8 percent, repeal market-based data collection, and add 1,000 new graduate medical education teaching slots, among other provisions.

Policies finalized for the 2021 Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System call for increasing inpatient payment rates by 2.9 percent, reducing Medicare disproportionate share hospital payments, and collecting median Medicare Advantage charge data.

The finalized fiscal year 2021 Inpatient Prospective Payment System rule includes payment and quality reporting provisions. The rule goes into effect Oct. 1; CMS has waived the 60-day delay in effective date due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

The agency announced that Medicare Part C enrollee days, otherwise known as Medicare Advantage days, would be included in the calculation of the Medicare fraction used to determine Medicare disproportionate share hospital payments for years prior to fiscal year 2014.

The proposed rule would increase inpatient payment rates by 3.1 percent, reduce Medicare disproportionate share hospital payments by about $0.9 billion compared with fiscal year 2020, and collect median third-party charge data on Medicare cost reports.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released its proposed fiscal year 2021 Inpatient Prospective Payment System rule, which includes payment and quality reporting provisions.

This targeted allocation distributes $12 billion to 395 hospitals that provided inpatient care for 100 or more COVID-19 patients through April 10. Of that total, $2 billion is allocated to hospitals based on Medicare and Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) and uncompensated care payments.

An Aug. 2 final rule for Medicare’s Inpatient Prospective Payment System for fiscal year 2020 will increase inpatient operating payments and Medicare disproportionate share hospital funding and make changes to electronic health records use and quality reporting programs.

The rule increases inpatient operating payment rates by 3.1 percent, makes other payment and quality reporting policy changes, and estimates a $140 million increase in Medicare disproportionate share hospital payments.

America’s Essential Hospitals encouraged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to consider the disproportionately negative financial effect on essential hospitals of certain quality reporting requirements and administrative burden in the Promoting Interoperability Programs.

The decision does not impact ongoing litigation challenging Medicare Outpatient Prospective Payment System policies or Medicaid disproportionate share hospital third-party payer policy.

An America's Essential Hospitals analysis identified more than 300 hospitals with mismatching fiscal year 2015 uncompensated care values compared with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' provided Factor 3 values.

A new proposed rule would increase inpatient operating payment rates by 3.2 percent and make other changes to Medicare payment and quality reporting policies. CMS is accepting comments on the proposed rule until June 24.

A new notice makes technical and typographical corrections to the fiscal year 2019 Inpatient Prospective Payment System final rule.

The final rule increases Medicare inpatient payment rates to acute care hospitals by 1.85 percent, revises electronic health record requirements, and changes the payment adjustment methodology for the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program.

America's Essential Hospitals urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to implement its Medicare disproportionate share hospital payment methodology and quality measurement programs in a way that accounts for the unique needs and patient populations served by essential hospitals.

A new proposed rule for Medicare’s Inpatient Prospective Payment System for fiscal year 2019 would increase inpatient operating payment rates by 1.75 percent.

The guidance defines courtesy discounts, defines when a bad debt is "written off," provides clarity about unpaid coinsurance and deductibles, and more.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services previously had extended the revision deadline to Oct. 31, following numerous changes to the worksheet S-10.

Hospitals use the worksheet S-10 to submit uncompensated care data to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; the agency will begin using the worksheet to calculate Medicare disproportionate share hospital payments in fiscal year 2018.

The new rule would affect inpatient operating payments, Medicare disproportionate share hospital payments, and the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program.

The announcement to allow revisions to fiscal year (FY) 2014 worksheets is important because the agency will use FY 2014 data to calculate FY 2018 Medicare disproportionate share hospital compensation.

The final rule updates Medicare inpatient rates to acute care hospitals by 1.21 percent, provides flexibility in reporting of electronic clinical quality measures, and changes the payment adjustment methodology for the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will allow hospitals to submit revisions to Worksheet S-10 of their Medicare cost report for fiscal year 2015 by Sept. 30.

America’s Essential Hospitals encourages CMS to improve transparency, risk adjust, and reduce regulatory burden for essential hospitals.

The rule would raise inpatient operating payment rates, revise Medicare DSH payment methodology, and apply a transitional methodology for HRRP penalties.

The rule contains provisions on the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program, Medicare DSH, the Inpatient Quality Reporting program, and more.

House GOP leadership pulled the bill due to inadequate support; the association now resumes its focus on other hospital-related issues, including DSH cuts.

Of particular interest to essential hospitals, CMS revised the Worksheet S-10, which hospitals use to report uncompensated care data.

CMS says it miscalculated some hospitals' uncompensated care share and provided the incorrect wage index reclassification status of four hospitals.

The deadline for hospitals to amend their Medicare cost report Worksheet S-10 for fiscal year 2014 is Sept. 30.

The rule addresses the controversial two-midnight policy, Medicare DSH, the Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program, Value-Based Purchasing, and more.

The rule includes the annual payment update to inpatient payment rates and changes to the Medicare disproportionate share hospital payment methodology.

America's Essential Hospitals gave feedback on Medicare DSH payments, payments associated with the two-midnight policy, and quality reporting programs.

A new proposed rule for Medicare’s Inpatient Prospective Payment System would reverse the controversial two-midnight policy payment cut and make numerous other policy and payment changes, including to quality reporting programs.

Aggregate data collected by the association will help inform advocacy on disproportionate share hospital payments and other funding support.

New group for members who want to take an active role in defending against Medicare disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payment cuts.

Congress debates omnibus appropriations measure, considers another stop-gap funding bill, as deadline for government shutdown looms.

Member leaders attend more than 100 meetings with lawmakers and congressional staff as part of fall Policy Assembly. Event also included insights from policymakers and a Capitol Hill reception honoring 2015 Gage Award recipients.

The Senate fails to repeal the ACA but will keep trying. Committees discuss HHS priorities and health care bills, including a bundle of hospital-related bills.

The rule includes provisions on several topics, including a payment update, Medicare disproportionate share hospital cuts, Medicare payment for short inpatient hospital stays, and the Readmissions Reduction Program.

New association materials include messaging on Medicaid DSH, Medicare, risk adjustment for sociodemographic status, 340B, and more.

In a new policy brief, America's Essential Hospitals describes how billions of dollars in reductions to Medicaid and Medicare funding threaten care at essential hospitals.

The final rule updates Medicare payment policies, rates for inpatient stays at general acute care hospitals, and provisions related to quality improvement programs.

On April 30, CMS issued the IPPS proposed rule for fiscal year 2015. The rule updates Medicare payment policies, rates for inpatient stays at general acute care hospitals, and provisions related to quality improvement programs. CMS will accept comments on the proposed rule through June 30.

CMS released the FY 2015 proposed IPPS rule April 30. The proposed rule updates Medicare payment policies and rates for inpatient stays at general acute care hospitals, as well as provisions regarding quality improvement programs.

Medicare DSH payments compensate hospitals for costs associated with low-income patient care

Hospitals that treat a large share of low-income patients receive add-on payments to the amount designated by IPPS

Rule finalizes several inpatient prospective payment system provisions

Rule also finalizes use of Medicaid and low-income Medicare inpatient days as uncompensated care proxy

Association urges CMS to accurately capture uncompensated care data to implement Medicare DSH cuts

Rule proposes several inpatient prospective payment system provisions

Most health care spending outside of Medicare and Medicaid was subject to cuts