Medicare will levy $227 million in fines against hospitals in nearly every state as part of the federal government’s campaign to reduce the number of patient readmissions, according to federal records released Friday.
Medicare identified 2,225 hospitals that will have payments reduced for a year starting in October, 18 of which will lose 2 percent, the maximum possible. Of those 18, three are Texas hospitals: Dimmit County Memorial Hospital in Carrozo Springs, ETMC Henderson in Henderson, and Falls Community Hospital And Clinic in Marlin.
The penalty program is among the toughest of Medicare’s efforts to pay hospitals for the quality of their performances rather than the quantity. The readmissions program offers hospitals no rewards for improvements or the opportunity to opt out, unlike new Affordable Care Act stipulations.
Date: August 8, 2013
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