Record Number of Hospitals Penalized for Readmissions – Hip and Knee Procedures Blamed

TheHill.com is reporting that a record 2,610 hospitals in the United States will receive lower reimbursement levels in the next year because of the number of patients readmitted 30 days after treatment. The number increased by 433 because CMS added of a number of new categories including hip and knee replacements. Munson Medical Center in Michigan was hit with this penalty for the first time and has announced it will be enhancing patient education and “prehabilitation” to address readmissions.