Medicare and Medicaid drop Idaho Doctors’ Hospital
The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is ending its provider agreement with the Idaho Doctors’ Hospital in Blackfoot effective July 20.
According to the hospital, the Centers issued a new interpretation of what defines a hospital to include average length of stay and average daily census. In April, the centers decided that IDH does not treat enough patients on a daily basis to be a provider of Medicare and Medicaid services.
“To go from being okay just 18 months ago, when we had our last survey, to now being told that we don’t meet the CMS conditions of participation because of new interpretations of the regulations is just difficult to comprehend,” said Dave Lowry, Administrative Manager at Idaho Doctors’ Hospital. “Like any business that is regulated by government agencies, we fully expect there to be changes to rules and their interpretations, but this drastic level of change just goes to show how much uncertainty there is in health care right now.”
Lowry said the determination in no way reflects on the quality of care at the hospital.
“We have great relationships with other hospitals, such as Bingham Memorial Hospital and Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, and we are working closely with them to ensure that our patients will continue to receive the essential services that we provide with the exceptional level of care that they have come to expect from our providers.”
Idaho Doctors’ Hospital is located at 350 Meridian Street in Blackfoot. It is jointly owned by Bingham Memorial and physicians. It has specialized in the treatment of spinal disease, injuries, and disorders.
