Healthcare Dive reports that hospitals wrongly billed for as much as 39 percent of short inpatient stays under Medicare’s two-midnight policy in 2014, according to HHS Office of the Inspector General.

The news service reported that “OIG recommended CMS conduct routine analyses of hospital billing to identify organizations that may be billing inappropriately and to explore ways of protecting Medicare beneficiaries from adverse consequences of inappropriate billing.

“While inpatient stays have decreased since the two-midnight rule was implemented, the report highlights there are vulnerabilities to the policy that allow inappropriate billing to occur. In some instances, inappropriate billing can make it more difficult for patients to qualify for skilled nursing facility (SNF) services.’’

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