A new study by the American Hospital Directory projects significant changes in reimbursements as a result of changes to Medicare's payment system.

HQA preview reports are now available at QualityNet.  Of note - the December 2008 reporting will be the final time hospitals participating in the Inpatient Prospective Payment System will be able to suppress their data to remain eligible for the RHQDAPU payment updates.

The director of the Congressional Budget Office testified before the Senate Finance Committee, stressing the importance of initiatives to speed the expanded use of Health Information Technology.

MedPAC released new recommendations for medicare payments, the safety and liability of mystery shoppers in healthcare is being debated, and online medical records-keeping systems are being discussed.

Medicare has cut payments for certain problems that occur in hospitals in an effort to improve quality of care.  Currently, Medicare is proposing new cuts in payments for nine more items, leading some health care providers to question how appropriate the new items are.