AHA shares policy principles for new post-acute care PPS with HHS

The AHA last week shared with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation recommended policy principles for a common prospective payment system for post-acute care. The agencies are conducting research to build a common payment system for long-term care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities and home health agencies, as mandated by the Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014. “Knowing that, ultimately, Congress will decide whether and how to respond to the 2023 final result of this lengthy research effort, AHA is committed to being an informed stakeholder and constructive partner through the full process,” wrote AHA Executive Vice President Tom Nickels. The principles were developed under the guidance of AHA’s Post-acute Care Strategy Steering Committee to aid in the development of a system that supports accurate payment and broad access to high-quality care for Medicare beneficiaries.