WASHINGTON – FAH President and CEO Chip Kahn released the following statement after reviewing the updated Guidance for Hospital Reporting and FAQs:

“Unfortunately, in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, HHS is once again moving the goal posts by announcing six new items that hospitals must report or face heavy Medicare penalties. While we appreciate CMS removing one of the most obviously onerous and unnecessary data reporting elements and extending a grace period for enforcement, the new rules reflect more questionable piling on. 

“Hospitals have risen to the challenge of providing vital information to HHS, despite the heavy and unprecedented burden of the reporting process and shifting reporting mechanisms. 

“It is both inappropriate and frankly overkill for CMS to tie compliance with reporting to Medicare conditions of participation. Caregivers will comply with reasonable data requests, but this sledgehammer enforcement may well weaken the response of frontline hospitals by diverting time and money from battling the pandemic and serving patients.”

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