Safety-Net Hospitals Unfairly Whacked by CMS' Readmissions Penalties: New Study

A new landmark study released last week in JAMA Internal Medicine shows that the socioeconomic status of patients really does cause higher hospital readmissions and negatively impact safety-net hospitals.  The bottom line, the researchers said, is that hospitals treating the most vulnerable patients are being deprived of needed resources.  For the fiscal year starting October 1, more than 2,600 hospitals will lose a combined total of $420 million, according to CMS.  The Washington Post carried a good story about the study.  Both the Senate and the House are moving legislation designed to make adjustments for socioeconomic status to CMS' readmissions penalty program for hospitals.  Here are summaries of the Senate bill and House bill.