ADDRESSING THE PROBLEMS OF OUTPATIENT OBSERVATIONS VS. SHORT-STAY INPATIENT ADMISSIONS.

OUTPATIENT medical care; INPATIENT care; MEDICAL care; HOSPITAL prospective payment; CENTERS for Medicare & Medicaid Services (U.S.); MEDICARE

The article focuses on addressing problems of outpatient observations versus short-stay inpatient admissions. Topics discussed include the final rule for the hospital inpatient prospective payment system of U.S Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, physician's focus on treating patient regardless of the patient's billing status, and the issue of inpatient hospital payments accounting for about one quarter of Medicare's annual expenditures. Elements of the Medicare program are presented.