Medicare's Hospital Reimbursement Rule On Preventable Errors A Welcome Change, Editorial States

Main Category: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 31 Aug 2007 - 14:00 PST

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In light of the "substantial" cost of medical errors, Medicare's new rule to refuse to pay the costs of preventable hospital errors will provide an incentive that should "help reduce the taxpayers' burden," a Washington Times editorial states. It continues, "It's not to say that hospitals are careless now, but the new rules will make them more diligent." The Times writes, "Hospitals will be more inclined to test for infections when a patient is admitted in order to show that the infection wasn't a result of substandard hospital care," concluding, "While hospitals can complain about the increased cost of additional tests, this is overall a good change to Medicare policy" (Washington Times, 8/28).

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