Medicare....bundled payment plan!

McKnight Health News reporting that Medicare is testing a payment plan where Hospitals are to be paid for services in a way that incenticizes the Hospitals to minimize their referrals to Skilled Nursing Homes in favor of less expensive ALF's and HomeHealth. Presumably by Medicare aggregating the single patient cost in relationship to the diagnosis they will positive/negative hold the hospital responsible. It's kind of a stronger version of the ObamaCare provision where Savings Groups could by reducing cost get extra payments. Sounds like a good idea. The $5000 monthly is a waste. Giving around $1500 monthly through VA "Aid & Attendant" makes more sense. At least 70% of NH patients would do well at RH+, which would be current configuration ($1800) plus additional 12hrs daily of LVN for a cost of $2100, of which about $1500 would be Social Security funded and Medicare/VA would pick up shortfall. The $net $600 monthly cost would cut SNF funding by 85%. Of course it would leave a bunch of broken down 1960's buildings empty and their gaming passive owners broke.
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