| Abstrakt: |
Under Medicare Part A, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) pays hospitals a fixed rate for services for elderly and disabled individuals who are enrolled in the program. The Social Security Act requires HHS to increase the fixed rate when hospitals serve patients who “were entitled to supplemental security income benefits.†The act provides this upward adjustment to account for the fact that, on average, hospital care for low-income individuals costs more. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
