Ensuring LTCHs Can Care for the Nation’s Sickest Patients and Serve Their Communities

The federal agency that oversees the Medicare program (CMS) recently announced a proposed change in the long-term care hospital (LTCH) high-cost outlier payment policy. As a result, LTCHs are being asked to incur greater and greater losses as they care for severely ill patients. LTCHs play an important role for Medicare patients by caring for those who need extended stays in a hospital. If more LTCHs close, general hospitals will have to keep these patients in their ICUs. The nation already faces a shortage of ICU beds. The AHA calls on policymakers to take action to ensure LTCHs can continue caring for the sickest patients and serving their communities