New OPPS rates delayed for agency review
Hospital review to be done by March 31
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has delayed implementation of the 2002 rates for the hospital outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) until the agency reviews the rates and codes announced in the final regulation on Nov. 30. The review will be completed before March 31, 2002, CMS officials say. CMS found several miscalculations in the cost of some new technology devices, according to officials.
The review comes after the Chicago-based American Hospital Association, several members of Congress, and others had requested the delay due to "substantial flaws" in the rates.
CMS will process claims subject to the OPPS for Jan. 1, 2002, or later using the 2001 OPPS payment rates. Claims will be processed timely rather than holding such claims for three months as announced earlier. Also in a Dec. 31 Federal Register notice, CMS delayed the effective date of the uniform reduction to transitional pass-through payments for 2002. Certain provisions of the 2002 rule will not be delayed, such as provision that limits beneficiaries’ coinsurance to no more than 55%.
You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
- Award-winning Medical Content
- Latest Advances & Development in Medicine
- Unbiased Content