CMS Urged to Reconsider Proposed Changes to IRF Case-mix System

AHA today expressed substantial concerns with proposed reforms to the inpatient rehabilitation facility patient assessment process and case-mix systems for fiscal year 2020 included in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ FY 2019 proposed rule for the IRF prospective payment system. “We are concerned that these new policies rely on inaccurate data, underestimate patient severity and are otherwise not transparent – all of which could adversely impact patient access, quality and safety,” AHA wrote. The association recommends that CMS continue to develop the new system in collaboration with the field instead of finalizing the proposals.