Medicare fines107 Ohio hospitals for readmission rates

Although the nation's readmission rate is dropping, 107 hospitals in Ohio and 2,610 in the nation are being penalized for readmitting too many patients between July 2010 and June 2013 (Source: “Medicare penalties grow for hospital readmission rates,” Marion Star, Oct. 10, 2014)

Medicare is fining the hospitals for having too many patients return within a month for additional treatments.

According to analysis by Kaiser Health News, this year, hospitals can lose as much as 3 percent of their Medicare payments under the program, which is overseen by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). To determine each hospital’s penalty, CMS looked at the readmissions rates of patients who initially went into the hospital for one of five conditions but returned within 30 days of discharge. Since the program began, it has examined three conditions: heart failure, heart attack and pneumonia. Two new conditions were added this year: chronic lung problems and elective hip and knee replacements.

The federal government's penalties are part of an effort to improve care and reduce health care costs implemented through the Affordable Care Act. They are intended to encourage hospitals to pay attention to what happens to their patients after they are discharged.