Hospitals could pay big if they don't lower infection rates

Although preventing infections should be at the top of a hospital's to-do list, a rapidly approaching penalty will soon give them a financial incentive to do so. Starting in 2015, hospitals will be ranked based on several different criteria. Those that land in the lower quartile of care could face a penalty of 1 percent reduction of reimbursement from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services through the inpatient prospective payment system. The intent is to force hospitals to improve their care systems, and while it may have initial financial burdens on hospitals that fall in the penalty group, the long-term benefits are obvious.