CMS Proposes 0.3% Pay Hike To Hospitals, 4.6% Cut To Long-Term Care Hospitals

CMS proposed Friday a rule that would result in a pay increase of 0.3 percent to acute-care hospitals in 2016 compared to this year, and the agency projects that the site-neutral policies for long-term care hospitals contained in the proposal would cut pay 4.6 percent to that sector. The rule doesn’t advance two-midnight policy reforms or make changes to Medicare hospital audits that industry seeks, which displeases the American Hospital Association, but some hospitals are pleased CMS is considering expanding...