New Patient Medicare Appeals Processes Proposed
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that would establish an appeals process for Medicare beneficiaries who were admitted as an inpatient but whose status changed to outpatient during their hospital stay.
What else to know: Policies are being established in response to a court order following a class action case filed in 2011.
Federal Independent Dispute Resolution Fees Finalized
What’s happening: The departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Treasury issued a final rule setting the No Surprises Act independent dispute resolution (IDR) fees.
What else to know: This was in response to an earlier court ruling that found the departments’ approach to setting the administrative fee was impermissible.
Return Hospital Engagement Letters for Area Wage Index Litigation by Dec. 8
What’s happening: Dec. 8 is the deadline for hospitals to sign up for a CHA-supported legal challenge to Medicare’s low-wage index policy.
What else to know: An updated analysis increases the estimated impact of these policies on California hospitals from $26 million to $33 million in federal fiscal year (FFY) 2024.