The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released guidance on patient access fees with little fanfare last year but the guidance, intended to clarify existing OCR regulations, became a flashpoint for controversy. The guidance states that organizations may charge a patient either a flat fee of $6.50 or follow a specific methodology for calculating the cost of making a copy of requested patient records. Although some organizations found their fee schedules out of step with OCR’s guidance, the biggest problem came from an unexpected corner: attorneys.
Pneumonia discharges impact hospital payments under the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program as well as the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program. The selection of a principal diagnosis, secondary diagnosis, present on admission (POA) status, and discharge status on each claim determines whether a pneumonia discharge will be included in the measure.
Probably the most onerous duty physicians have is the preparation of the inpatient discharge summary, especially after a long or complicated hospital stay.
