CMS Proposal on Hospital Outpatient Payment Panel Open for Comment

"Based on CMS' position that there is a significant potential for patient complications in regards to observations services, it is highly unlikely that we will see this move to a general supervision category any time soon, so CAHs and the small rural hospitals should begin to prepare now."

This was the first year that CMS asked representatives from CAHs to sit on the panel to help make these recommendations on supervision requirements for certain services.

"Safe quality care is an expectation that CMS has for all hospitals, regardless of how they are paid – cost vs. prospective payment," Mackaman said.

These recommendations are open for public comment through October 24 and the final decisions will become effective on January 1, 2013. Hospitals that may have a stake in loosening the supervision requirements for the delivery of these outpatient services may submit their comments via email to: HOPSupervisionComments@cms.hhs.gov.


View the most recent recommendations from the panel.


View the previous recommendations from the panel.