The coding offset would cut hospital payments by 6.05 percent, or 0.55 percent when included with other policy changes in the IPPS proposed rule.
The adjustment is intended to offset an increase in case-mix severity CMS claims results from the implementation of Medicare DRGs (diagnosis-related groups), but the American Hospital Association and others have argued that the severity increase could be a result of hospitals treating truly sicker patients.
Read the AHA News Now report on the IPPS coding offset.
Related Articles on the IPPS Coding Offset:
AHA Wants CMS to Reduce Coding Offset for 2012 IPPS
CMS Issues CY 2012 Outpatient Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule
