AHA comments on draft MedPAC payment recommendations for 2020

Commenting this week on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission’s draft recommendations for 2020, AHA said it supports the recommendation to provide current law market-basket updates for the hospital inpatient and outpatient prospective payment systems. The association expressed significant concerns about the design of the Hospital Value Incentive Program, and urged the commission to defer a final recommendation on the program to delve more deeply into those issues. AHA also urged the commission to vote in favor of the current law market-basket update for the long-term care hospital PPS; support the current law market-basket update to the inpatient rehabilitation facility PPS; and provide the current law market-basket update for hospital-based skilled nursing facilities. The commission is expected to vote on the recommendations at its Jan. 17-18 meeting.