If you are looking for an indicator as to the state of the American economy, you need look no further than the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) proposed rule for 2010. Issued May 1 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the proposed rule includes meager payment updates for approximately 3,500 acute care hospitals paid under the IPPS and 400 long-term care hospitals paid under the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System (LTCH PPS), a few revisions mandated by legislation, and little else.
The bottom line: Affected acute care hospitals will experience an overall $979 million decrease for operating and capital payments in 2010.
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