[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 42, Volume 2]
[Revised as of October 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 42CFR419.42]

[Page 798]
 
                         TITLE 42--PUBLIC HEALTH
 
                             HUMAN SERVICES
 
PART 419--PROSPECTIVE PAYMENT SYSTEM FOR HOSPITAL OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT SERVICES--Table of Contents
 
                    Subpart D--Payments to Hospitals
 
Sec. 419.42  Hospital election to reduce coinsurance.

    (a) A hospital may elect to reduce coinsurance for any or all APC 
groups on a calendar year basis. A hospital may not elect to reduce 
copayment amounts for some, but not all, services within the same group.
    (b) A hospital must notify its fiscal intermediary of its election 
to reduce coinsurance no later than--
    (1) June 1, 2000, for coinsurance elections for the period July 1, 
2000 through December 31, 2000; or
    (2) December 1 preceding the beginning of each subsequent calendar 
year.
    (c) The hospital's election must be properly documented. It must 
specifically identify the APCs to which it applies and the copayment 
amount (within the limits identified below) that the hospital has 
selected for each group.
    (d) The election of reduced coinsurance remains in effect unchanged 
during the year for which the election was made.
    (e) In electing reduced coinsurance, a hospital may elect a 
copayment amount that is less than that year's wage-adjusted copayment 
amount for the group but not less than 20 percent of the APC payment 
rate as determined in Sec. 419.32.
    (f) The hospital may advertise and otherwise disseminate information 
concerning the reduced level of coinsurance that it has elected. All 
advertisements and information furnished to Medicare beneficiaries must 
specify that the coinsurance reductions advertised apply only to the 
specified services of that hospital and that coinsurance reductions are 
available only for hospitals that choose to reduce coinsurance for 
hospital outpatient services and are not allowed in any other ambulatory 
settings or physician offices.

[65 FR 18542, Apr. 7, 2000, as amended at 65 FR 67829, Nov. 13, 2000; 66 
FR 59923, Nov. 30, 2001]