The AHA yesterday urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to allow hospitals receiving periodic interim payments to carry out their accelerated payment repayment at cost settlement, as was initially communicated by the agency.

The association’s letter is in response to a change in directive from CMS that accelerated payments are to be recouped from PIP hospitals’ periodic payments until repayment is completed, rather than at cost settlement. As a result, “PIP hospitals will go several months without any Medicare inpatient reimbursement, which is contrary to the entire purpose of the PIP program” of providing this subset of hospitals “with a steady and predictable revenue stream,” AHA wrote.

The association also requested CMS make alternative repayment approaches available for all hospitals, such as direct payments to the Medicare administrative contractor, to allow additional flexibility during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Related News Articles

Headline
A Health Affairs study published Sept. 2 found that less than 40% of Medicare beneficiaries with opioid use disorder received standard care in alignment with…
Perspective
Public
Congress returns to Washington, D.C., this week facing a long list of things to do, including several that will impact hospitals’ ability to provide access to…
Headline
The AHA Sept. 4 expressed support for the Hospitals As Naloxone Distribution Sites Act (H.R. 5120), legislation that would require Medicare and Medicaid to…
Headline
The AHA Sept. 3 released a study conducted by KNG Health Consulting that found Medicare patients who receive care in a hospital outpatient department are more…
Headline
The AHA Aug. 28 expressed support for the Preserving Patient Access to Accountable Care Act in comments to House and Senate sponsors of the bill. The…
Headline
A JAMA study published Aug. 18 found that plan design changes by Medicare Part D insurers, particularly for Medicare Advantage plans, following passage of the…