AHA News reports that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services last week sent Congress its plan for implementing a value-based purchasing program for hospitals under the Medicare inpatient prospective payment system beginning in fiscal year 2009, as required by the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. The agency's proposal builds on the Medicare pay-for-reporting program implemented in 2005, which requires hospitals to report on specific inpatient quality measures to receive a full IPPS payment update, by including financial incentives for better performance - moving towards value-driven health care. In its report, CMS said the plan "should be implemented in a manner that does not increase Medicare spending."
A news item in Modern Healthcare yesterday says that CMS quality effort
could put payments at risk, as it would reduce base Medicare payments to hospitals, with hospitals "buying back" that money through high performance.
Comments
There will be objections, mainly from hospitals. But there are too many hospitals that cost us too much and some "weeding out" is needed. Go to www.healthcaresoundoff.com to see some other ideas that may help both Medicare and the commercially insured as well
It looks like Medicare has a lot of plans of what they are going to do with their money, and how they want to distribute it. But what about their plans for all the elderly people on fixed incomes that cant afford to pay their increasing premiums? This is a problem that they dont seem to want to face. This is why AARP has set up http://www.thisissoridiculous.com so that we can all sign a petition to make our voice heard. While your there you can also read updated news, watch videos, and even e-mail your congressman to let him know how you feel. I’m working to help AARP promote better Medicare because this is an important issue that isn't getting enough attention
- James
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