Data Points: Reducing readmissions

Readmission rates have been on a downward slope since the CMS began penalizing hospitals in 2012. The 21st Century Cures Act asked the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to assess the decline in relation to increases in observation stays and emergency department visits. MedPAC found that the penalty program did lead to lower readmission rates, but was not the sole cause of increases in observation and ED visits.