Another Two-Midnight Rule Delay
By Christine Kern, contributing writer
CMS announces yet another delay in the Two-Midnight Rule enforcement.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced yet another delay in the enforcement of the “Two Midnight” rule, postponing implementation until April 30. The delay is intended to give Congress a chance to pass the “doc fix” bill, which includes a six-month delay in the enforcement of the rule.
The rule governing inpatient stays was originally announced in 2013, but its enforcement has been repeatedly delayed due to backlash from providers who argue it undermines clinical decision-making. The most recent delay ended on March 31.
The CMS statement notes, “Given potential Congressional action on H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, CMS will continue the Inpatient Probe and Educate process until April 30, 2015, and will continue to prohibit Recovery Auditor inpatient hospital patient status reviews for dates of admission occurring between October 1, 2013 and April 30, 2015. CMS believes this extension will allow for continued education and promote further understanding of the policy.”
H.R. 2 Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, which was negotiated by Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) and House Democratic leader Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, overwhelmingly passed the House by a vote of 392 to 37. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration, according to Main Street.
The Senate reconvenes April 13 and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that the chamber will “return to it very quickly when we get back,” according to Modern Healthcare. McConnell also expressed confidence in the bill's passage, saying, “I think there's every reason to believe it's going to pass the Senate by a very large majority.” President Obama has already indicated that he will sign the legislation if it passes.