MedPAC recommends quality measure consolidation

Dive Brief:

• The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) recommended in its annual June report the consolidation of four hospital reporting programs into a small set of population health and patient experience measures that consider social determinants.
• MedPAC also refined its recommendations for freestanding emergency departments, creating a differentiation in payment for urban and rural EDs. Rural facilities could voluntarily elect to become outpatient-only, be paid for emergency and clinical services and receive a fixed block subsidy for operating costs. Urban facilities, which often treat lower-acuity patients, would have payments reduced by 30%.
• Additionally, MedPAC has determined CMS’ Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) was ultimately successful in its stated mission. However, the commission believes hospital mortality may have increased...

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