GAO-14-573R, Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: Medicare Program; Extension of the Payment Adjustment for Low-Volume Hospitals and the Medicare-Dependent Hospital (MDH) Program Under the Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems (IPPS) for Acute Care Hospitals for Fiscal Year 2014, May 05, 2014

GAO reviewed the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) new rule on the Medicare Program and extension of the payment adjustment for low-volume hospitals and the Medicare-Dependent Hospital (MDH) Program under the Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems (IPPS) for acute care hospitals for fiscal year 2014. GAO found that (1) the interim final rule with comment period implements sections 1105 and 1106 of the Pathway for SGR Reform Act of 2013 by making changes to the payment adjustment for low-volume hospitals and to the MDH program under the hospital IPPS for the year ending March 31, 2014. Section 1105 of the Pathway for SGR Reform Act extends changes to the payment adjustment for low-volume hospitals for an additional 6 months, through March 31, 2014. Section 1106 of the Pathway for SGR Reform Act extends the MDH program for an additional 6 months, through March 31, 2014; and (2) CMS complied with the applicable requirements in promulgating the rule.