Low Quality Hospitals Should Not Qualify For Bonuses

The Hospital Value-based Purchasing (HVBP) program aims to improve quality of care and efficiency by creating financial incentives for about 3,000 participating hospitals. From fiscal years 2013 through 2017, performance on quality and efficiency measures varied by hospital type. Safety net hospitals— those that serve a high proportion of low-income patients—generally scored lower in quality compared to all participating hospitals. In contrast, small rural and small urban hospitals—those with 100 or fewer acute care beds—scored higher on efficiency compared to all hospitals.

Payment adjustments—bonuses or penalties, announced prior to each fiscal year—have . . .