How Medicare penalizes hospitals for being too careful

Since 2008, Medicare has refused to reimburse hospitals for treating complications they created, but studies have found that the change has not resulted in substantial decreases in harm. Nationwide, infections and other avoidable hospital complications remain a threat to patients, occurring during 12 of every 100 stays, according to a federal estimate. Patients were hurt in some way more than four million times when hospitalized in 2014. [Subscription required.]