CT hospitals among worst in Medicare performance payments

CT’s hospitals are the lowest among all 50 states in earning Medicare quality payments starting this month – only hospitals in DC performed worse. Medicare’s value-based purchasing program will tie a portion of hospitals’ payments to the quality of care they deliver. Only 4 of CT’s 29 acute care hospitals will receive a quality bonus; the rest will be penalized. Nationally, 52% of hospitals will receive bonuses and 48% penalties. In sum for all CT hospitals, Medicare payments will drop by 0.15%; the national average is an increase of 0.02%. Based on 2010 financial reports, this could cost CT hospitals $6.7million.