The change would prohibit hospitals from unbundling payments for therapeutic services performed within 72 hours of a hospital admission and unrelated to the hospital remission if the services were provided prior to the date of enactment of the bill, according to the report. The hospital groups also note that the provision would allow the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to more narrowly define “unrelated,” limiting unbundled services for hospitals.
In a letter to Congress, the groups noted that Recovery Audit Contractors already informed hospitals that retrospective payments were available to hospitals and changing the provision would cause hospitals to lose additional funding to the hits they are expected to take with the enactment of the healthcare reform law.
Read the AHA News Now report on the 72 Hour Rule.
