Organizations, including AHA, release reforms to strengthen LTCHs

A group of hospital stakeholders, including the AHA, the Federation of American Hospitals, the National Association of Long Term Hospitals and the Coalition of Long-Term Acute-Care Hospitals, today announced the release of Long-Term Acute Care Hospital Reform Policy Principles. The principles were designed to guide and inform Congress on ways to better support LTCHs and patients. The principles address current challenges and offer solutions to strengthen LTCH care delivery. They include ensuring access for certain high-acuity beneficiaries by expanding payment criteria, improving the accuracy of the LTCH prospective payment system, making a potential change to the 25-day average length of stay requirement, restructuring the LTCH outlier system, expanding rural access to LTCHs, and reining in harmful Medicare Advantage practices. 
 
The AHA has also released an infographic highlighting the LTCH reform proposals.