Harrisburg Hospital v. Shalala

48 F. Supp. 2d 467, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15709, 1999 WL 323336
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedMarch 31, 1999
Docket1:97-cv-00986
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 48 F. Supp. 2d 467 (Harrisburg Hospital v. Shalala) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Harrisburg Hospital v. Shalala, 48 F. Supp. 2d 467, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15709, 1999 WL 323336 (M.D. Pa. 1999).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM

CAPUTO, District Judge.

Plaintiff filed the present action on June 27, 1997. Before the Court are cross motions for summary judgment filed by the plaintiff, Harrisburg Hospital, and the defendant, Donna E. Shalala, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (the “Secretary”). The motions are fully briefed and ripe for disposition. In addition, the Court heard oral argument on the cross motions for summary judgment on September 22, 1998. There being no genuine issue as to any material fact, the Court can proceed to determine whether plaintiff or defendant is entitled to judgment in their favor as a matter of law. Because I find that the Secretary’s Febru *469 ary 27, 1997 final decision was arbitrary, capricious and an abuse of discretion, I will grant plaintiffs motion for summary judgment and reverse the decision of the Secretary. Consequently, defendant's motion for summary judgment will be denied.

BACKGROUND

This civil action arises out of defendant’s failure to reimburse plaintiff amounts due under the Medicare program of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1395 et seq., on a reasonable cost basis for the 1989 cost year. The amounts in dispute relate to. plaintiffs medical education costs for two nursing programs.

I. Governing Statutes and Regulations

The Medicare program was established in 1965 under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act (the “Act”) to provide health insurance to the aged and disabled. 42 U.S.C. §§ 1395 — 1395cc. The Health Care Financing Administration (“HCFA”) is the operating component of the Department of Health and Human Services charged with administering the Medicare program. The Medicare program consists of two main parts: (i) Part A, “Hospital Insurance Benefits,” authorizes payment for primary institutional care, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1395c— 1395Í-4, and (ii) Part B, “Supplemental Medical Insurance Benefits,” authorizes payment for physicians, certain hospital outpatient services and other non-hospital supplemental services. 42 U.S.C. §§ 1395j — 1395w-4. The present action involves Part A of the Medicare program.

In order to participate in Part A of the Medicare program, a hospital must file a provider agreement with the Secretary. 42 U.S.C. § 1395ce. The Secretary’s payment and audit functions under the Medicare program are often contracted-out to insurance companies, known as fiscal intermediaries. 42 U.S.C. § 1395h; 42 C.F.R. § 421.100. Fiscal intermediaries determine which providers are bound by the Secretary’s regulations and the payment amounts due to the providers. Id.

At the close of its fiscal year, a provider must submit a cost report to the fiscal intermediary showing the costs it incurs during the fiscal year and which portion of those costs are to be allocated to Medicare. 42 C.F.R. § 413.20. The fiscal intermediary audits the cost reports and determines the total amount of Medicare reimbursement due the provider, which it publishes in a notice of program reimbursement (“NPR”) that sets forth the individual expenses allowed and disallowed by the intermediary. 42 C.F.R. § 405.1803. A provider dissatisfied with the intermediary’s final determination of total reimbursement may file an appeal with the Provider Reimbursement Review Board (“PRRB”) within 180 days of the NPR. 42 U.S.C. § 1395oo(a); 42 C.F.R. § 405.1835. The PRRB is authorized to hold a hearing on the appeal and issue a decision. Id. A party may appeal the PRRB’s decision to the Secretary’s delegate, the Administrator of HCFA. 42 U.S.C. § 1395oo(f)(1); 42 C.F.R. § 405.1875. If the HCFA Administrator decides to review the case, he or she may affirm, reverse, modify or remand the PRRB’s decision. 42 C.F.R. § 405.1875. The final decision of the PRRB, or of the HCFA Administrator if he or she exercises the right of review, is subject to judicial review. 42 U.S.C. § 1395oo(f)(1)-

Prior to October 1, 1983, the Medicare program reimbursed covered inpatient hospital services on a “reasonable cost” basis, defined as the costs actually incurred less any costs unnecessary in the efficient delivery of needed health services. 42 U.S.C. § 1395(v)(1)(A). The Act authorizes the Secretary to promulgate regulations setting forth the methods for determining reasonable costs and items to be included in reimbursable services. Id. In 1982, Congress began to restrict reasonable cost reimbursement by limiting the rate of increase of Medicare Part A reimbursement for the operating costs of inpatient hospital services. 42 U.S.C. § 1395ww(b).

*470 Effective October 1, 1983, Congress amended the Act and adopted a new reimbursement system for inpatient hospital services known as the Prospective Payment System (“PPS”). 42 U.S.C. § 1395ww(d). Under PPS, most hospitals are paid a prospectively determined amount for their inpatient operating costs based on national and regional rates for each patient’s diagnosis at the time of discharge. Id. The costs of approved educational activities are specifically excluded from the definition of “inpatient operating costs” and, thus, are not included in the PPS hospital-specific, regional or national payment rates. 42 U.S.C. §§ 1395ww(a)(4) and (d)(1)(A). Instead, Medicare payments for approved educational activities continue to be made on a reasonable cost basis. 42 U.S.C. § 1395f(b); 42 C.F.R.

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Related

Bradford Hospital v. Shalala
108 F. Supp. 2d 473 (W.D. Pennsylvania, 2000)

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Bluebook (online)
48 F. Supp. 2d 467, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15709, 1999 WL 323336, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/harrisburg-hospital-v-shalala-pamd-1999.