September 30th, 2008

Starting today the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will not reimburse hospitals for additional costs created by preventable infections and other conditions caused by hospital errors.  The Tribune-Review thinks that although this measure should have come long ago, the government is finally helping to cut down on hospitals’ costly errors.

Also, if CMS witholds payment the hospital cannot pass the costs along to patients.  The charges that will not be reimbursed deal with 11 types of infections and conditions, ranging from instruments left in patients after surgery, bed-sores, injuries caused by falls, and hospital acquired infections such as MRSA.

**There is a currently a bill in the Pennsylvania Legislature (HB  2098) that would prevent private insurers from reimbursing for the same types of conditions.**