Appeals court to hear oral arguments April 17 in outpatient payment case

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit will hear oral arguments April 17 in the Department of Health and Human Services’ appeal of a district court ruling in favor of the AHA and hospital organizations that found the agency could not reduce calendar year 2019 payments for hospital outpatient services provided in grandfathered off-campus provider-based departments. The AHA, joined by the Association of American Medical Colleges and several member hospitals, last month amended the lawsuit against HHS to challenge the agency’s continuation of the payment cut in 2020, arguing that the 2020 reduction is unlawful for the same reasons as the 2019 cuts.