A final rule dictating payment rates for outpatient services at acute care hospitals has cleared White House review and can publish at any time.
The proposed rule (RIN 0938-AU43) released in July from the Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services would pay hospitals nearly $10.8 billion more for outpatient services in 2022.
The CMS also wants to enforce stricter penalties for hospitals that don’t comply with a price transparency rule requiring them to publicize standard charges for health items and services. In the proposed rule, smaller hospitals would be fined at least $300 a day and larger hospitals would be …