CMS focuses on value over volume in IPPS rule

Why This Topic Matters

The rule changes described here can affect hospital reporting, quality scores, review processes, and payment adjustments. Readers can use the article to understand where CMS is shifting emphasis and which hospital programs were updated for the applicable fiscal years.

Article Sections

1. Overview of the FY 2016 IPPS final rule

   Introduces the annual inpatient payment rule and summarizes the main areas of CMS focus for the year. It frames the article around quality, reporting, and payment policy updates.

2. Short stays and the 2-midnight policy

   Discusses CMS activity related to short inpatient stays, patient status review processes, and timing of review responsibilities. It also notes the relationship between inpatient and outpatient rulemaking.

3. Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program

   Covers revisions affecting readmission measurement, including changes to the pneumonia-related cohort and related data quality considerations. It also addresses how the measure update may influence hospital performance assessment.

4. Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program

   Summarizes new reporting measures, measure removals, and changes to measure timing across future payment years. The section also notes the distinction between claims-based and structural reporting.

5. Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program

   Reviews updates to the hospital value-based purchasing measure set and domain structure. It also describes newly added measures and changes to hospital-associated infection reporting populations.

6. Hospital-Acquired Conditions Reduction Program

   Explains updates to the hospital-acquired conditions payment reduction program, including measure weighting and data expansion. It also discusses overlap with other CMS quality programs and measure specification considerations.