(April 14, 2023) – CMS Releases FY 2024 Medicare Inpatient and LTCH PPS Payment and Policy Updates
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released the Medicare inpatient prospective payment system and long-term care PPS payment and policy updates for the fiscal year 2024. The following are major updates:
IPPS
- Market basket increase of 2.8 percent (3.0 percent less 0.2 percent productivity adjustment amount); CMS estimates the "proposed increase in operating and capital IPPS payment rates will generally increase hospital payments in FY 2024 by $3.3 billion"
- Decrease in Medicare disproportionate share hospital uncompensated care payments of $115 million
- Continues the low-wage hospital policy
- Changes graduate medical education payments for training in Medicare rural emergency hospitals
LTCH PPS
- "For FY 2024, CMS expects the LTCH standard payment rate to increase by 2.9 percent and LTCH PPS payments for discharges paid the LTCH standard payment rate to decrease by approximately 2.5 percent, or $59 million, due primarily to a projected 4.7 percent decrease in high-cost outlier payments as a percentage of total LTCH PPS standard federal payment rate payments."
- Revises the LTCH quality reporting program
Comments are due at 4 p.m. Friday, June 9.
CMS Issues Life Safety Guidance
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued revised Life Safety guidance for hospitals and other providers. The revised guidance allows a hospital that is required to meet the 2012 edition of NFPA 99 to apply for a categorical waiver to implement a health care microgrid system in lieu of backup power by a generator or battery system.
CMS Issues Interim Guidance for RHCs
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued interim guidance on location determinations for rural health clinics. The interim guidance is based on changes issued in a 2022 final rule by the Census Bureau and the 2020 Decennial Census. CMS notes that only the CMS location, not the state agency or accrediting organization, can make the final location determination for an RHC applicant or exiting RHC requesting relocation.
CMS Releases FY 2024 SNF Payment and Policy Updates
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently released the fiscal year 2024 Medicare payment and policy updates for the skilled nursing facility prospective payment system. CMS estimates the net increase in payments will be 3.7 percent, or $1.2 billion.
CMS Releases MA Prior Authorization Final Rule
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released a final rule that revises the Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug benefit programs. The rule includes marketing restrictions for MA plans, regulations to improve access to behavioral health and new regulations regarding the use of prior authorization to ensure people with MA coverage receive access to the same medically necessary care they would receive in traditional Medicare.
CDC Issues Health Alert about Marburg Virus Disease
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a health advisory about the outbreaks of Marburg virus disease in Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania to increase awareness of the risk of imported cases in the U.S. The advisory summarizes the CDC's recommendations for case identification, testing and clinical laboratory biosafety considerations for U.S. providers, and provides links to MVD resources.
The risk of MVD in the U.S. is low; however, health care providers are asked to remain aware of the potential of imported cases and to ask travel questions. Should a facility suspect an MVD case, they should call their local public health agency or Department of Health and Social Security at (800) 392-0272.
MLN Connects Provider eNews Available
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued the following updates to MLN Connects Provider eNews: