Senators urge CMS to adjust proposed inpatient payment update in final rule

In a letter led by Sens. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., and Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., a bipartisan group of 34 senators urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to consider reevaluating the proposed payment update in the inpatient prospective payment system final rule, expressing concern that the proposed updates do not fully account for the current cost of care and will result in an overall payment reduction for hospitals in fiscal year 2024. 
 
In comments submitted Friday, AHA also urged the agency to use its authority to adjust the market basket update to account for what the agency missed in the FY 2022 market basket forecast and eliminate the FY 2024 productivity cut, among other changes. 
 
“The AHA thanks Senators Menendez and Cramer for leading this important bipartisan effort urging CMS to ensure hospitals and health systems have the resources they need to continue delivering high-quality care to their patients and communities,” said Lisa Kidder Hrobsky, AHA’s senior vice president for advocacy and political affairs. “This support is more needed than ever as the hospital field continues to confront rising inflation, workforce shortages and surging costs for supplies and drugs.”