Summary

GAO reviewed the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) new rule on Medicare Program changes to the Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and Fiscal Year 2010 rates. GAO found that (1) the final rule revises Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems (IPPS) for operating and capital-related costs of acute care hospitals to implement changes arising from CMS's continuing experience with those systems. It also implements certain statutory provisions relating to payments to long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) and LTCH satellite facilities, the establishment of LTCHs and LTCH satellite facilities, and increases in beds in existing LTCHs and LTCH satellite facilities under the LTCH prospective payment system (PPS); and (2) although CMS did not comply with the 60-day delay in effective date required by the Congressional Review Act, CMS complied with other applicable requirements in promulgating the rule.