The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized plans to phase out the Medicare Inpatient-Only (IPO) List in November while also covering more procedures in the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) setting. But some voices in the post-acute care space continue to express concern with the changes. As CMS accelerates the shift of more procedures into outpatient settings, skilled nursing leaders are warning that downstream Medicare policy has not kept pace, renewing calls to … [Read more...]
Inpatient-Only List Overhaul Could Put Pressure on ASC, Post-Acute Care Coordination
A proposal from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to phase out Medicare’s Inpatient-Only List (IPO) while adding more procedures for ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) is stirring debate over how patients move through the continuum of care. As surgical capabilities advance, more complex procedures can safely take place outside of hospitals, including in ASCs. In turn, CMS in its 2026 proposed payment rule for ASCs has suggested phasing out the IPO list over three years, … [Read more...]