Government Healthcare Policy, Business and Technology

Hospitals livid over CMS plan to eliminate #Medicare payments at new off-campus depts

Modern Healthcare: Hospitals are livid about the Obama administration's plans to eliminate their Medicare payments for services at new off-campus outpatient departments, saying it ignores the intent of Congress and will limit access to care.

Under an outpatient payment rule proposed last week for 2017, Medicare would not pay hospitals for most services provided at off-campus departments that started billing Medicare after Nov. 2, 2015. Instead, physicians would be paid for services there at an enhanced rate. And off-campus departments that were already billing Medicare as of that date would not be paid for any services they add. They also would be cut off from all payments if the facility is relocated or expanded.

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