Hospitals Change Billing Practices Because of HACs

The CMS policy that penalizes hospitals for hospital-acquired conditions hasn't had a huge impact and has led to changes in billing practices, according to a new study. In 2008, CMS stopped reimbursing for hospital-acquired conditions - mainly infections - and shifted those costs back to health systems to hold them accountable. However, hospitals are still paid if the issues are present upon arrival at the hospital. Researchers analyzed more than 65 million Medicare hospitalizations between 2007 and 2011, specifically urinary tract infections linked to catheters and blood infections linked to central lines. After the policy change, the number of infections coded as present on arrival went up, while the number coded as not present on arrival went down. Click here for the full report.