Readmissions penalties rose as of Oct. 1, 2014 An August 25 story in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News reminded readers that in the third phase of the CMS Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP), readmission penalties are rising to 3% of Medicare reimbursements as of October 1. The HRRP, which penalizes hospitals with excessive readmissions for specific diagnostic groups, set a first-year (2013) penalty of 1% maximum reduction of reimbursements. In year two (fiscal year 2014), penalties rose to 2%. This year (FY 2015), the maximum penalty goes up to 3% and expands the conditions for which readmissions can be penalized, now including chronic lung disease and elective hip and knee replacements. Though the penalties currently affect acute providers only, post-acute providers are clearly a key factor in preventing readmissions. As one industry expert notes, “Although not all hospital readmissions are preventable, many could be avoided with improved post-discharge planning and care coordination.” The growing emphasis on preventing hospital readmissions represents a valuable opportunity for post-acute providers to strengthen collaborations with their acute referral sources to improve care transition processes.
Posted on: Mon, 03 Nov 2014 15:14:21 +0000
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