Medicare Program; Nondiscrimination in Posthospital Referral to Home Health Agencies and Other Entities

Résumé

This proposed rule would establish a process for us to collect, maintain, and make available to the public, information about hospital referrals of Medicare patients to home health agencies (HHAs) and other entities with which the hospitals have a financial interest or which have a financial interest in the hospital. We would publicize this information in an effort to increase awareness regarding the availability of Medicare-certified HHAs and other entities to serve the Medicare population, and to inform beneficiaries of their freedom to choose among available Medicare-participating providers that are capable of furnishing the needed services.