Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Medicare's Penalities For Low Safety Scores Hit Hospitals Across The Nation
Des Moines Register: Des Moines' Mercy Penalized Over Patient-Safety Scores
Des Moines’ Mercy Medical Center is among seven Iowa hospitals being penalized by Medicare for relatively poor patient-safety scores. The federal health-insurance program for the elderly announced this week that it would withhold part of Medicare reimbursements to 769 hospitals nationwide. The penalties are part of an effort to rein in medical errors, which kill tens of thousands of Americans per year. (Leys, 12/23)
San Jose Mercury News: Hospitals Penalized For Patient Safety Violations
Almost half of Alameda County hospitals will be penalized after being cited by the federal government for high rates of patient injuries, which for the first time includes the spread of antibiotic-resistant germs. (Hedin, 12/29)
Georgia Health News: Medicare Safety Penalties Fall Hard On Some Georgia Hospitals
Nearly one in four Georgia hospitals are being penalized by the federal government for high rates of patient injuries. Federal health officials reported that 31 of 134 Georgia hospitals analyzed, or 23 percent, had a high level of such complications, which include infections, blood clots, bedsores and falls. (Miller, 1/2)
Here's KHN's story on Medicare's penalities: Latest Hospital Injury Penalties Include Crackdown On Antibiotic Resistant Germs (Rau, 12/21) and a related data table.
