Thirty U.S. senators and 112 U.S. representatives are urging CMS to revise the proposed hospital inpatient prospective payment system rule for fiscal year 2023.
Lawmakers' concerns echoed those of the American Hospital Association, which called the 3.2 percent funding increase for inpatient payments "woefully inadequate."
Letters sent by both the senators and representatives expressed concerns that the proposal does not accurately reflect the current cost of patient care and, when tethered to other policy changes included in the rule, would result in payment decreases for hospitals.
The letters state that the historical data CMS references to forecast healthcare costs could not predict the effect of economy-wide inflation or the increased supply chain demand and labor costs associated with COVID-19.
"We respectfully urge CMS to further evaluate this proposal and consider using its special exceptions and adjustments authority to revise the final [inpatient prospective payment system] rule to ensure hospitals have the resources they need to provide optimal care," the letter from the representatives stated.