Home Health & Hospice Week

Ortho patients would take biggest hit under new payment system, MedPAC forecasts.

Check out some of the data-based projections the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission includes in its report advocating for earlier adoption of a Post Acute Care Prospective Payment System:

• Patient groups MedPAC expects to see the largest percentage of payment increase under PAC PPS are Severe Wounds (10 percent) and Ventilator (9 percent).
• Patient groups MedPAC expects to see the largest percentage of payment decrease under PAC PPS are Orthopedic Medical (-6 percent) and Other Neurology Medical (-6 percent).
• HHAs that would see the highest pay increase would be those reporting no therapy costs (25 percent increase) while those with the biggest payment cut would be HHAs reporting the highest therapy costs (-24 percent).
• For all HHAs, a PAC PPS would decrease payments by 1 percent on average.
• About 42 percent of HHAs would see a payment decrease under PAC PPS.
• About 53 percent of HHAs would see a payment increase under PAC PPS.
• PAC PPS would cute Medicare spending by $5 to $10 billion in 2021 and 2022.

Source: MedPAC’s June report, Medicare and the Health Care Delivery System, at www.medpac.gov/docs/default-source/reports/jun17_reporttocongress_sec.pdf.