Hospital Readmissions Fines Drop, But Nearly 2,300 Facilities Still Penalized!

For the very first time after the Year 2014, the federal government has gone easy concerning the penalties and punishments for the hospitals which report more than the average Readmission rates. Amendments have been introduced in the hospital readmissions reduction program. 

The decision was taken in light of the covid-19 pandemic. For the first time, very few penalties have been imposed upon the hospital authorities, who even report high hospitalizations.

How Does The Readmission Reduction Program Benefits Patients?

According to these amendments, a stay has been imposed on the calculation of penalties concerning medicare’s hospital payment. The program has been developed under the affordable care act.

The main intention of the program was to evaluate the frequency at which most Medicare patients return to the hospital within 30 days of discharge. It has a connection with these patients’ payments to the hospital. 

If the patients return within 30 days, there is a greater expectation of a higher return being reaped by the hospital readmissions authorities. Most hospitals retain the opportunity to make extra money, which is why they do not provide the best treatment to the patients in the first go.

It does not at all pose a heavy burden on the pockets of the patients but, at the same time, is detrimental to the health of these patients. That is why hospitals are penalized for indulging in such conduct. 

What Is The Situation After COVID? 

The situation after covid-19 has undergone a complete change. The rate of hospital readmissions has increased to a great extent. Not only this but also the hospitals have suffered because of conducting significant surgeries due to the fear of infection. The only type of cases handled by the hospital during this time was related to the covid-19 infection. 

It has already caused a lot to the hospitals in terms of the loss of medical healthcare personnel and the annual revenue generated by the hospitals. The entire situation has been different from what it is always. In light of these situations, the government has decided to relax the penalties imposed on hospitals under this act. 

What did The Government decide? 

The government has decided to exclude the period of the first 6 months of 2020 from the entire calculation of penalties in terms of admission rate. This will prevent the unnecessary burden from being imposed upon the hospitals.

The most important reason is that the hospitals cannot be sure about the infection with which the patients came. It could be pneumonia, or it could be covid-19. 

The first half of the Year needed more effective testing facilities. Due to this reason, segregation of infections could not take place. In such a situation, it would be in the interest of the hospitals to exclude such a duration from the calculation of penalties.

It is probably the first time that the lowest amount has been imposed on the hospital. These relaxations are only available for the first half of the Year. The hospitals in the United States of America have been affected even during the second wave. Discussions have been underway to support this change over time. 

Final Words

The shift in government policies is all because of the pandemic, which has affected the lives of so many people. It was probably the first time in human history that the world has been caught in the Jaws of death. All of these factors have affected not only the policies but also how medical health treatment is available in the hospital.