Medicare Payment Penalties and Safety Net Hospital Profitability: Minimal Impact on These Vulnerable Hospitals

Gloria J. Bazzoli, Michael P. Thompson, Teresa M. Waters

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

31 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: To examine relationships between penalties assessed by Medicare's Hospital Readmission Reduction Program and Value-Based Purchasing Program and hospital financial condition. Data Sources/Study Setting: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, American Hospital Association, and Area Health Resource File data for 4,824 hospital-year observations. Study Design: Bivariate and multivariate analysis of pooled cross-sectional data. Principal Findings: Safety net hospitals have significantly higher HRRP/VBP penalties, but, unlike nonsafety net hospitals, increases in their penalty rate did not significantly affect their total margins. Conclusions: Safety net hospitals appear to rely on nonpatient care revenues to offset higher penalties for the years studied. While reassuring, these funding streams are volatile and may not be able to compensate for cumulative losses over time.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3495-3506
Number of pages12
JournalHealth Services Research
Volume53
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2018

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© Health Research and Educational Trust

Keywords

  • Hospitals
  • financial performance
  • payment policy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Health Policy

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