CMS to Seek Recoupment of $25 Million from Acute-Care Hospitals (not LTACHs) under Medicare’s Post-Acute Transfer Policy

Posted by Jason Greis on March 20, 2009 under Articles | 2 Comments to Read

According to an audit report recently released by the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services (OIG), hospitals paid under the inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) may have received an estimated $25 million in overpayments between fiscal years 2003 and 2005 as a result of noncompliance with Medicare’s post-acute transfer policy.  The purpose of this policy is to provide a disincentive for hospitals to discharge patients to another hospital, a skilled nursing facility, or a patient’s home early in a patient’s stay in order to minimize costs while still receiving a full diagnosis-related group (DRG) payment. Read More...