On October 1, 2008, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ceased reimbursing Medicare- and Medicaid-certified hospitals for 10 conditions, which it says are preventable, unless the conditions are present on admission (POA). POA is defined as a condition that's present at the time the order for inpatient admission occurs, including conditions that develop during an outpatient encounter, such as in the ED or during observation or outpatient surgery. If a patient develops any of the 10 hospital-acquired conditions (HACs), the costs to treat the condition will be paid by the healthcare provider.
What do you need to know about these reimbursement changes and what can you do, as a nurse, to help ensure your facility isn't adversely affected? Get the facts here.
The link shows the 1O conditions which are not covered once a patient is hospitalized.
