Securing Access to Care for Seniors in Critical Condition Act of 2024
Impact
By instituting a 'high acuity criterion' for discharges assigned to Medicare-Severity-Long-Term-Care-Diagnosis-Related-Groups, the bill intends to better align reimbursement rates with the actual care that patients require. This change is expected to enhance the funding for hospitals treating patients with severe conditions, thereby improving the quality of care available for seniors, especially those in critical condition. The new criterion would apply starting October 1, 2025.
Summary
House Bill 8576, titled 'Securing Access to Care for Seniors in Critical Condition Act of 2024', proposes amendments to the Social Security Act aimed at establishing a new criterion for the non-application of site-neutral payments to long-term care hospitals under the Medicare program. The bill seeks to ensure that certain discharges from long-term care hospitals are exempt from site-neutral payment policies, which can affect the financial viability of these healthcare facilities.
Contention
While the bill has garnered support from various stakeholders within the healthcare community due to its focus on improving access to care for seniors, there may be contention regarding the potential implementation of the criteria and the adjustment period for hospitals to comply. Critics may argue that mandating a new criterion could add complexity to the reimbursement process and may not sufficiently address all the challenges long-term care hospitals face, particularly those related to funding and operational sustainability.