News: New 2-Midnight rule under fire; CMS hosts conference call

At least a few members of Congress heard the complaints of constituents regarding the “2-Midnight” rule included in the 2014 IPPS Final Rule, and more than 100 House Representatives signed a letter to CMS urging the agency to delay the rule by at least six months, according to a report in AHANewsNow.

Under the rule, physicians should order an inpatient admission only if they reasonably believe the patient requires care that would extend over two midnights.

“We believe that further modifications to the admission and medical review criteria are needed to ensure patients are not forced to spend more out of pocket for their care and that our hospitals are not unfairly subject to denied claims or made vulnerable to unnecessary RAC audits,” the letter states.

CMS hosts a Special Open Door Forum call on its “2-Midnight” policy on Thursday, September 26, 2-3 p.m., ET. The call includes hospital inpatient admission and review criteria scheduled to take effect Oct. 1 under the inpatient prospective payment system. The conference call will also provide an opportunity for hospitals and others to ask questions about the criteria. For instructions, click here.