The House of Representatives approved legislation on Wednesday that U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-OH) introduced to provide regulatory relief to long-term care hospitals and help prevent waste, fraud and abuse.
The Sustaining Healthcare Integrity and Fair Treatment (SHIFT) Act, H.R. 5713, would exempt long-term care hospitals from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) “25 percent rule.”
The rule stipulates that no more than 25 percent of patients can be referred to a long-term care hospital by one inpatient acute care hospital in each quarter.
“During a time when patients and health care providers are facing increasing burdens and higher costs, I am pleased that we could come to an agreement that will help over 400 hospitals across the country,” Tiberi, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health, said. “This bill will also provide relief for four specific groups of long-term care hospitals that treat highly unique groups of patients.”
A previous 50 percent threshold for inpatient acute care hospital referrals would be re-instituted under the bill.
“The SHIFT Act also allows the Medicare, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Programs to limit reimbursement for providers or suppliers who may be exploiting program integrity loopholes and engaging in fraud, waste or abuse,” Tiberi said. “This will prevent hard-earned taxpayer dollars from going to bad actors.”