FY 2021 IPPS Final Rule: Displaced Resident Policies
October 22, 2020 CMS has issued the FY 2021 IPPS Final Rule that took effect on October 1, 2020. The proposed rule addressed growing concerns of operational and administrative challenges resulting from residents who transferred or matched to other programs or participate in planned rotations at other hospitals before the official closing date. As a result, CMS has redefined “displaced...Read More
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COVID-19 Update: Hospitals Receive Extension to Medicare GME Affiliation Agreements
May 21, 2020 On Thursday, May 21, 2020, CMS announced yet another extension due to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). CMS has provided flexibility to teaching hospitals and has stated that teaching hospitals have until October 1, 2020 to submit new or amended Medicare GME affiliation agreements, instead of the July 1, 2020 deadline. The official announcement can be found...Read More
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FY 2020 IPPS Final Rule
August 14, 2019 CMS has made available its display version of the FY 2020 IPPS Final Rule, which is scheduled to be published on August 16, 2019. As mentioned in our May newsletter, there was a Graduate Medical Education issue included in the IPPS proposed rule. After considering comments from the public, CMS has finalized its rule. Below is a summary of the GME related issues in...Read More
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Balanced Budget Act of 1997: Rolling Average Explained
June 18, 2019 The Balanced Budget Act of 1997, also known as the 1996 FTE Cap or Base Year FTE Cap, limited the number of residents a teaching hospital can receive for Medicare Graduate Medical Education (GME) reimbursements. This limit was not the only limit implemented with the passing of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997; hospitals were also faced with a requirement to average...Read More
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CMS Releases Proposed 2020 IPPS Rules – Impact to Graduate Medical Education
May 8, 2019 The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published the proposed changes to the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) rules for fiscal year 2020 on May 3, 2019. The proposed rules addressed multiple issues, two of which impact Graduate Medical Education: Modifications to Nonprovider Settings — If finalized, the rule will allow hospitals to count...Read More
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Hope for Hospitals that Inadvertently Triggered GME Caps: Advancing Medical Resident Training in Community Hospitals Act
April 16, 2019 Two US Members of the House of Representatives from Wisconsin reintroduced a bipartisan bill titled Advancing Medical Resident Training in Community Hospital Act on February 26, 2019 (H.R. 1358). The bill introduced by Representatives Ron Kind (D-WI) and Mike Gallagher (R-WI) provides relief for Community hospitals that inadvertently established low permanent full-time...Read More
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Reintroduction of the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019
March 13, 2019 On February 5, 2019, Senator Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), and Senator John Boozman (R-AR) introduced the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2019. This bill is similar to the ones introduced in 2013 and 2017. Both previous bills were unsuccessful, however, with the growing need for doctors to service the aging population,...Read More
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NRMP Match Day: Significance to Medicare Reimbursement
February 20, 2019 On March 15th, fourth-year medical students across the nation will gather for NRMP Match ceremonies — a life-changing day for medical students and an important day in determining accurate Medicare Direct Graduate Medical Education (DGME) payments. Residency program staff and GME offices have been equally preparing for this day and their work will continue after...Read More
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Breaking Down the GME Payment: Per Resident Amount
Januray 16, 2019 When Medicare was established, Congress assigned the government responsibility of covering partial costs affiliated with reimbursing teaching hospitals for residents in approved Graduate Medical Education Programs since these educational activities enhanced the quality of patient care.1 One important factor in the Direct Graduate Medical Education (DGME) payment is the...Read More
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Claiming Resident Time in Inpatient Psychiatry & Rehabilitation Facilities
December 11, 2018 If residents are enrolled in a Medicare-approved program and rotate into the Inpatient Psychiatry Facility (IPF) or the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF), they cannot be claimed for Indirect Graduate Medical Education (IME) on the Intern and Resident Information System (IRIS) report. However, they may be counted and included in a separate Medicare cost report...Read More
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