St. Luke's Nampa (Idaho) Medical Center received its accreditation survey last week, more than a month after opening. If approved, the hospital can begin billing Medicare and Medicaid for services, something it hasn't been able to do since its Oct. 30 opening, according to an Idaho Press-Tribune report.
In November, reports found St. Luke's has been unable to accept nonemergent Medicare and Medicaid patients due to an accreditation error. St. Luke's officials thought after the Nampa hospital prepared for and passed an accreditation survey, the government would allow it to bill back for patient services administered since Oct. 30. However, Medicare does not allow hospitals to bill back to the date of opening, but rather to the date of the accreditation survey.
Therefore, St. Luke's can seek retroactive reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid to the date of last week's survey, if approved. St. Luke's spokesperson Anita Kissée told the Idaho Press-Tribune it could take 30 days from the survey's date before the report is complete.