WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services cut reimbursements in 2018 and proposed a rule change July 15.
Here is the timeline.
November 2018: CMS announces “site neutrality” rule cutting reimbursements by 30 percent in 2019 and by 60 percent in 2020 for hospital clinics that are more than 250 yards away from their main campus
December 2018: Olympic Medical Center becomes a plaintiff in an American Hospital Association lawsuit against CMS
September 2019: U.S. District Court in D.C. rules in favor of AHA that the federal government doesn’t have the authority to institute a “site neutrality” rule
October 2019: CMS files motion asking the court to modify the ruling.
November 2019: U.S. District Court in D.C. rejects CMS’s argument and agency agrees to to repay hospitals who received the reduced rate in 2019; CMS institutes second phase of site-neutral rule that cuts reimbursements by 60 percent
December 2019: Government agrees to pay OMC Medicare claims from 2019 in full.
August 2020: U.S. Court of Appeals for D.C. Circuit reverses district court ruling and upholds CMS site-neutrality payment cuts.
July 15, 2022: CMS announces proposed rule.
