Hospitals to See $2 Billion Increase In Medicare Payments Under CMS Final Rule

Medicare payments to inpatient hospitals will increase by 2.8 percent, or $2 billion, in fiscal year 2013 under a final rule issued Aug. 1 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The rule (CMS-1588-F) will take effect Oct. 1 and affect about 3,400 hospitals paid under the inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS). It will be published in the Federal Register Aug. 31.

The rule also sets Medicare reimbursement rates for 440 long-term care hospitals. Under the rule, LTCH Medicare reimbursement will rise 1.7 percent in fiscal 2013, CMS said, or approximately $92 million.

According to CMS, the 2.8 percent ...