STAT+: Florida hospital CEO says Medicare site-neutral payment reform 'makes some sense'

SAN FRANCISCO — Hospitals loathe so-called “site-neutral” policy, the idea that Medicare should pay hospitals’ outpatient clinics the same, lower, amounts as independent physicians’ offices for the same services. Tens of billions of dollars in hospital revenue could evaporate.

Researchers, lawmakers, government officials, and consumers see site-neutral payments as commonsense because the care in the two settings is identical — why should the government and patients pay more for identical care, just because the provider is linked to a hospital? 

John Couris sees the validity in that critique. He also happens to be the head of a major hospital system.

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