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Health Care: Actions to Terminate Problem Hospitals From Medicare Are Inadequate

HRD-91-54 Published: Sep 05, 1991. Publicly Released: Sep 05, 1991.
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Highlights

GAO provided information on the Health Care Financing Administration's (HCFA) lack of compliance with regulations governing the termination of acute care hospitals from the Medicare program when deficiencies are not corrected within required time frames, focusing on: (1) specific areas that need improvement; and (2) alternative enforcement options that can be used against problem hospitals to supplement termination.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Health and Human Services The Secretary of Health and Human Services should direct HCFA to comply with termination procedures pertaining to hospitals that are not in compliance with Medicare conditions of participation. If the Secretary determines that the initiation of termination action against noncomplying hospitals is too harsh a sanction for HCFA to pursue, the Secretary should develop a proposal to Congress authorizing HCFA use of alternative enforcement actions.
Closed – Not Implemented
VA believes developing intermediate sanctions as an alternative to termination is problematic. It suggests that GAO identify possible options for less severe sanctions.

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Topics

state relationsHospitalsInspectionInstitution accreditationMedicareMonitoringNoncomplianceSanctionsStandards evaluationSurveys