CMS Issues 2.6% Update for Long-Term Care Hospital Payments
CMS on Tuesday issued a proposed 2.6% payment rate change in 2009 for long-term care hospitals, CQ HealthBeat reports. The payment rate change will apply to about 400 long-term care hospitals, which treat "medically complex cases," such as patients with severe head trauma, those who must be on respirators and those who require extensive rehabilitation, CQ HealthBeat reports. The revised payment rate and related policies would apply to services provided to people discharged from such hospitals on or after July 1.The payment rate update represents a 3.5% increase in the hospital market basket, or the cost of goods and services used to provide inpatient care, reduced by 0.9% to offset coding changes from 2006, according to CQ HealthBeat. CMS last year proposed a 0.71% increase in 2008 Medicare payments for long-term care hospitals (Carey, CQ HealthBeat, 1/22). This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
