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BRIEF: Two-Midnight Rule affects Medicare hospital payments

Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City) - 4/24/2014

April 24--Medicare hospital payments

Q: What are the implications for hospitals and patients if the rule is upheld or struck down?

A: If the Two-Midnight Rule is upheld, more patient care likely will be billed as outpatient care rather than inpatient care, which will result in lower reimbursement to hospitals even if exactly the same services are provided. In addition, patients will be financially responsible for a greater portion of the cost for services billed as outpatient rather than inpatient services. If the rule is struck down, physicians will have more discretion in determining when an inpatient admission is appropriate for a patient.

PAULA BURKES, BUSINESS WRITER

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