CMS will hold an open door forum conference call next Tuesday to allow hospitals and other interested parties to ask questions about the two-midnight rule.
The two-midnight rule is a new regulation that was included in the 2014 Medicare inpatient prospective payment system final rule. The rule generally considers inpatient admissions spanning two midnights as qualifying for payment under Medicare Part A. According to the regulation, stays lasting less than two midnights must be treated and billed as outpatient services.
Hospitals have criticized the two-midnight rule since its release. The American Hospital Association has said the policy is unclear and undermines the medical judgment of physicians. At an AHA-sponsored briefing yesterday, hospital leaders voiced concerns about the rule to congressional staffers, calling the regulation arbitrary, difficult to implement and confusing.
Next week's call will take place at 1 p.m. EST. The dial-in number is 877-251-0301, and the conference ID number is 47736519.
More Articles on the Two-Midnight Rule:
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