As the CMS charts a path to level pay for outpatient services, it’s also leading toward a head-to-head battle with powerful hospital lobbying groups as some providers win and lose with site-neutral payments. Check out the article, below, for more information!
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If the agency’s 2019 proposal to pay the same rate for services delivered at off-campus hospital outpatient departments and independent doctors’ offices is finalized, the CMS said it would save Medicare $610 million and patients about $150 million via lower co-payments. That represents about 1% of the around $75 billion hospitals receive a year from the CMS for outpatient services.
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But hospitals argue that their higher reimbursement rates are needed to pay for expensive overhead costs. Without that payment flow, they contend, many hospitals would likely close as their margins thin. Providers also changed their business strategies with the current rate system in mind.nnThis is a continuation of the CMS’ aim to reduce payment disparities for virtually identical procedures, said Fred Bentley, a vice president at Avalere Health.nnHospital executives have seen this coming, but that doesn’t mean they won’t put up a big fight, he said.nn”There has been a recognition that this disparity was not justified and that it was a matter of time until this gap would be addressed,” Bentley said. “The CMS is starting to come to terms with the task at hand in terms of keeping Medicare solvent. Admittedly, they are going against a powerful lobby.”nn
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This article was originally posted on modernhealthcare.com