Medicare Hospital Readmission Fines Begin Today

Beginning today, Medicare will start to fine nearly two-thirds of hospitals that have high numbers of patients readmitted within 30 days for heart attacks, heart failure and pneumonia. On average, the penalties will costs hospitals about $125,000 a year.

The fines are currently capped at 1 percent of a hospital's Medicare payments for the first year, but they will eventually rise to 3 percent under the Affordable Care Act.

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