1. Michelle Lefkowitz Technical Advisor Division of Acute Care Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

2. http://thismakesmesick. typepad. com/this_makes_me_sick/2005/12/index

4. Medicare’s Role in Financing GME
“Many hospitals engage in substantial educational activities, including the training of medical students, internship and residency programs, the training of nurses, and the training of various paramedical personnel. Educational activities enhance the quality of care in an institution and it is intended, until the community undertakes to bear such education costs in some other way, that a part of the net cost of such activities (including stipends of trainees as well as compensation of teachers and other costs) should be considered as an element in the cost of patient care, to be borne to an appropriate extent by the hospital insurance program” (emphasis added, S. Rep. No. 404, 89th Cong., 1st Sess. 36 (1965); H.R. No. 213, 89th Cong., 1st Sess. 32 (1965)).
Medicare supports medical education because the academic environment enhances the quality of care

5. What does Medicare pay for?
Under Current Law--
“Approved” medical residency training programs are
Accredited, and/or
Lead to board certification
ACGME, AOA, ADA, CPME, ABMS

6. 2 Types of Medicare GME Payments
Direct GME Payments (DGME)
Partially compensates for residency education costs
Salaries of staff, residents, and other direct costs
Indirect Medical Education (IME) Payments
Partially compensates for higher patient care costs due to presence of teaching programs
It’s a percentage add-on payment to basic Medicare per case (DRG) payment

7. Direct GME Payment Formula
For each hospital:
DGME payment = $PRA x FTE residents x Medicare utilization
Per Resident Amount (PRA) is cost per resident in a base year updated for inflation.

8. IME Payment Formula
The IME adjustment is based on statistical analysis using intern and resident-to-bed ratios (IRB)
% per case add-on =
DRG Payment X Multiplier X ((1 + IRB) )
For FFY 2011, multiplier is 1.35
Short hand for IME: Hospitals getting about a 5.5% increase in DRG payments for every approx. 10% increase in the IRB ratio

9. Medicare GME Spending Estimated Federal Fiscal Year 2010:
DGME Payments = $2.66 billion
IME Payments = $6.53 billion
Total = $9.19 billion
Source: CMS Office of the Actuary
Note-totals include Capital IME payments and direct GME and IME payments for Medicare Advantage enrollees

10. Medicare Resident Caps
1996 FTE RESIDENT CAP—There is a limit to the number of FTE residents for which Medicare will pay each hospital
Excludes dental and podiatry residents
Consider: Congressional debates, more cuts to GME funding
Incentives to train primary care residents

11. Nursing & Allied Health Programs
A program must be “provider-operated” in order for the hospital to qualify for pass-through reasonable cost payment
Historically paid for hospital-operated diploma nursing and other allied health programs

12. Provider-operated means
Directly incur the costs
Directly control curriculum
Control administration and day to day activities of the program
Employ the teaching staff
Provide and control both classroom and clinical training (if there is both a classroom and clinical component).

13. N&AH Funding This model is increasingly rare!
Some examples are . . .
Current statute is binding
What is Medicare’s or the government’s role?
General revenues (e.g., HRSA) vs. Medicare (CMS)