Medicare and Medicaid programs; prospective reimbursement for rural health clinic services--Health Care Financing Administration. Proposed rule.
These proposed regulations would provide a prospective payment method for Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement of independent rural health clinics (RHCs). Currently, both programs pay RHCs on an interim rate basis during each cost reporting period, and adjust their payments retroactively to reflect actual costs. Under the proposed regulations, payments will be made based on charges determined at the beginning of the reporting period, and there will be no year-end adjustment. These regulations are needed to replace existing interim regulations on payment of RHCs, and are intended to provide RHCs with increased incentives to be more efficient and cost-effective in their operations. This proposal replaces our proposed rule published on September 10, 1980 (45 FR 59734). As a result of comments, public hearings, and further analysis on that document, we have developed a new proposed rule that implements prospective reimbursement for RHC services through a simpler and more effective method.
D014487:Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S.; D008484:Medicaid / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006278:Medicare / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011445:Prospective Payment System / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012051:Reimbursement Mechanisms / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012423:Rural Health / Q000592:standards*; D014481:United States