How does the Hospital-Acquired Conditions (HAC) policy impact reimbursement?

The Hospital-Acquired Conditions (HAC) policy is designed to improve patient safety and quality of care by discouraging the occurrence of certain preventable complications that can arise during a hospital stay. Under this policy, hospitals are penalized financially for conditions that are considered avoidable and were acquired during the patient’s hospitalization. These conditions include specific infections, pressure ulcers, and other adverse events that are recognized as preventable with proper care.

As part of the reimbursement process, if a patient is diagnosed with one of these conditions during their hospital stay, the hospital may receive reduced Medicare payments for the episode of care. This approach encourages hospitals to implement better practices to prevent such conditions from occurring, thereby enhancing patient safety and quality of care.

The other options do not accurately reflect the intent or impact of the HAC policy. For example, hospitals do not receive additional funding for preventable conditions; rather, they face penalties. The policy does not incentivize hospitals to increase patient offerings as a result of potential penalties, nor does it specifically shift reimbursements to outpatient settings.