Press Release

Statement on Final FY 2012 Medicare IPPS Rule

Contact:
Marie Watteau - (202) 626-2351

Washington D.C.

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Rich Umbdenstock
President and CEO
American Hospital Association
August 1, 2011

With respect to the annual update, today’s rule is welcome news for patients who depend on hospital care. We are pleased CMS heeded hospitals’ recommendations and recognized the important work that hospitals are doing in their communities to care for patients.

The AHA voiced strong concerns about the coding provision in the proposed rule. Although we are disappointed CMS continues to implement coding cuts, we are pleased that it acknowledged the earlier plan would have been detrimental to hospitals’ mission of caring. We appreciate the support of both houses of Congress on this issue.

We will continue to review this complex rule to ensure that policymakers recognize the daily challenges hospitals face in caring for their communities.

About AHA

The AHA is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the improvement of health in their communities. The AHA is the national advocate for its members, which includes more than 5,000 member hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations, and 38,000 individual members. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends.