Bipartisan Policy Center Says Lower Hospital Payments To Curb Costs

Hospitals in non-competitive markets would be forced to accept lower payment rates or a multiple of Medicare rates under a proposal released last week by the Bipartisan Policy Center. The BPC issued a series of recommendations to reduce excessive and unnecessary health care cost growth, stabilize insurance premiums in the individual health insurance marketplaces and provide relief and flexibility to employers. The recommendations include in-depth policy analysis and a variety of proposals to tackle each area of concern. Click here for the report.

• Critics are saying that many not-for-profit hospitals are not earning their tax exempt status. Click here for the Pew Trust report.
• Helping "super-utilizers" avoid hospital stays may not bring down costs too much, according to a new study, click here.