Medicare Agency Seeks 2.8% Pay Hike for Hospital Outpatient Care

Medicare wants to pay acute care hospitals $88.6 billion for outpatient services in 2024, or 2.8% more than this year, the Biden administration announced Thursday.

The proposed rule (RIN: 0938-AV09 ) from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services also recommends a 2.8%, or $170 million, increase in Medicare payments for ambulatory surgical centers next year compared with 2023.

Medicare payments for hospital outpatient services would increase by $6 billion next year compared with 2023 under the proposal. Medicare ambulatory surgical center payments would total $6 billion in 2024.

An estimated 3,600 facilities, including general acute care hospitals, children’s hospitals, ...