No Medicare proposed for big mess-ups
This article was originally published in The Gray Sheet
Executive Summary
CMS proposes a formal national non-coverage Medicare policy Dec. 2 for instances of extreme medical errors: when the incorrect surgical procedure is performed on a patient; when surgery is performed on the wrong body part; and when a specific procedure is performed on the wrong patient. The proposal, for which CMS is accepting comments though Jan. 1 for a March 2 finalization deadline, is part of the agency's effort to reduce so-called "never events," identified in 2002 by the National Quality Forum. CMS has pursued the goal for other never events, including certain hospital-acquired infections, though its hospital inpatient payment rules