Interrupted Stays at Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities (IPFs)
The OIG has issued a report entitled “Nationwide Review of Medicare Payments for Interrupted Stays at Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities for Calendar Years 2006 and 2007.” The OIG estimates that Medicare made $3.9 million in improper payments to IPFs in calendar years 2006 and 2007 for claims on behalf of beneficiaries who had been discharged from another IPF within the prior 3 days, in violation of CMS’s “interrupted stay” policy. The OIG made a series of recommendations to recover inappropriate payment and prevent future errors, including systems edits, claims reviews, and revised billing instructions. CMS concurred with the OIG’s recommendations.
