Medicare Boosts Hospitals’ Payments to Offset Virus Losses

Hospitals will get a little help to recover some of their pandemic revenue losses when Medicare boosts reimbursements by 20% next month for beneficiaries with Covid-19.

The payment bump takes effect on Sept. 1 and will apply to all Medicare patients with Covid-19 who needed to be hospitalized, according to new guidance issued on Monday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

A positive Covid-19 laboratory test result must be documented in the patient’s medical record in order to receive the higher payment rate. The enhanced payment will be withdrawn if the records don’tt include the positive test result. ...