The true financial impact of hospital readmissions.

ABSTRACT

Hospital executives working to reduce the cost of readmissions should note that The penalty imposed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for excess readmissions can be disproportionately high The true cost of readmissions goes beyond the CMS penalty Even small reductions in readmissions can substantially reduce penalties Changes to healthcare reimbursement, such as bundled payments, will also incentivize hospitals to reduce readmissions.