Total Hip and Knee Revisions are Really Outpatient Procedures? Implications of the Removal From the Inpatient Only List.

BACKGROUND: In 2021, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) removed over 200 procedures from the Inpatient Only (IPO) list including revision total hip (THA) and total knee arthroplasties (TKA). The purpose of this study is to determine if some revision TKA and THA procedures may be appropriate for outpatient status. METHODS: We reviewed a consecutive series of 1026 revision THA and TKA patients at our tertiary academic institution from 2015 to 2020. An outpatient procedure was defined as a length of stay of <2 midnights. We queried our prospectively collected arthroplasty database and compared demographics, comorbidities, surgical indication, type of procedure, discharge disposition, readmissions, and complications between the outpatient and inpatient groups. RESULTS: There were only 166 revision patients (16%) who met outpatient criteria. Revision THA outpatients were more likely to have a head and liner exchange (49% vs 25%, P < .001) and an indication of instability (93% vs 44%, P < .001). Revision TKA outpatients were more likely to have an isolated liner exchange (34% vs 14%, P < .001) and have an indication of instability (67% vs 25%, P < .001). Patients undergoing a revision for infection and aseptic loosening were more likely to require an inpatient stay than other revision indication (P < .05). CONCLUSION: The vast majority of revision TKA and THA patients met CMS inpatient criteria. In addition to a projected decrease in facility reimbursement, concerns exist for the safety of early discharge and access to care for these complex patients if CMS removes all revisions from the Inpatient Only list.

Despite Equivalent Medicare Reimbursement, Facility Costs for Outpatient Total Knee Arthroplasty Are Higher Than Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: With the recent removal of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Inpatient Only list, facility reimbursement for outpatient TKA now falls under the Outpatient Prospective Payment System at the same rate as unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). The purpose of this study was to compare true facility costs of patients undergoing outpatient TKA with those undergoing UKA. METHODS: We reviewed a consecutive series of 2310 outpatient TKA and 231 UKA patients from 2018 to 2019. Outpatient status was defined as a hospital stay of less than 2 midnights. Facility costs were calculated using a time-driven, activity-based costing algorithm. Implants, supplies, medications, and personnel costs were compared between outpatient TKA and UKA patients. A multivariate analysis was performed to control for confounding medical and demographic variables. RESULTS: When compared with patients undergoing UKA, outpatient TKA patients had higher implant costs ($3403 vs $3081; P < .001) and overall hospital costs ($6350 vs $5594; P < .001). Outpatient TKA patients had a greater length of stay (1.2 vs 0.5 days; P < .001) and greater postoperative personnel costs ($783 vs $166; P < .001) than UKA patients. When controlling for comorbidities, outpatient TKA was associated with a $803 (P < .001) increase in overall facility costs compared with UKA. CONCLUSION: Despite equivalent reimbursement from CMS as UKA, outpatient TKA has increased facility costs to the hospital. Although implant costs can vary greatly by institution, CMS should consider appropriately reimbursing outpatient TKA for the additional personnel costs when compared with UKA.

The Removal of Total Hip and Total Knee Arthroplasty From the Inpatient-Only List Increases the Administrative Burden of Surgeons and Continues to Cause Confusion.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown that the removal of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) inpatient-only (IPO) list has caused confusion among surgeons, hospitals, and patients. The purpose of this study is to determine whether similar confusion was present after CMS recently removed total hip arthroplasty (THA) from the IPO list. METHODS: We surveyed the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons membership via an online web-based questionnaire in February 2020. The 12-question form asked about practice type and the impact that having both THA and TKA removed from the IPO list has had on each surgeon's practice. Responses were tabulated and descriptive statistics of each question reported. RESULTS: Of the 2847 American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons members surveyed, 419 responded (14.7% response rate). Three hundred forty-one surgeons (81%) stated that changes to IPO status have increased their practice's administrative burden. Fifty-four percent of surgeons reported that they have needed to obtain preauthorization or appeal a denial of preauthorization for an inpatient total joint arthroplasty at least monthly, while 257 surgeons (61%) have had patients contact their office regarding an unexpected copayment. Despite the commitment of CMS to waiving certain audits for 2 years, 43 respondents (10%) stated they had undergone an audit regarding a patient's inpatient status. CONCLUSION: The removal of THA and TKA from the IPO list continues to be an administrative burden for arthroplasty surgeons and a source of confusion among patients. CMS should provide additional guidance to address surgeons' concerns about preauthorization for inpatient stays, unexpected patient copayments, and CMS audits.

Economic Impact of Outpatient Medicare Total Knee Arthroplasty at a Tertiary Care Academic Medical Center.

BACKGROUND: In January 2018, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) removed total knee arthroplasty (TKA) from the inpatient-only list. This impacted hospital reimbursement, Comprehensive Joint Replacement (CJR) bundle volumes, and bundle performance. We describe these impacts at an academic teaching hospital. METHODS: We reviewed CJR bundle data provided by CMS and internal databases to identify the shift in CJR TKA episode volume since January 2018, the impact on postacute care (PAC) utilization rates and readmissions, financial impact to the bundle, and impact on hospital reimbursement. We used data provided to CJR participants, internal hospital sources, and the Medicare Limited Data Set. RESULTS: Between 2017 and 2018, CJR TKA episodes decreased from 91 to 51 (44% reduction). Inpatient PAC utilization was significantly higher in 2018 (20% vs 8%). The 90-day readmission rates increased from 5.5% to 12.7%. Average variance to target dropped from 15% to 5%. Average CMS reimbursement for TKA at our institution in 2019 was $14,823 for inpatients and $9299 for outpatients. We experienced $930,463 in decreased reimbursement from January 2018 to September 2019 as a result of the shift from inpatient to outpatient. In addition, we expect $625,143 in decreased incentive payments as higher functioning and lower cost outpatient TKAs are excluded from CJR. CONCLUSION: Although CMS projected a minimal impact on CJR bundle participants, this has not been the case at our institution. We experienced reduced volumes, increased PAC utilization, and a substantial financial impact. We expect a similar outcome when CMS removes total hip arthroplasty from the inpatient-only list.

An Examination of the Adoption of Outpatient Total Knee Arthroplasty Since 2018.

BACKGROUND: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services removed total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) from the inpatient-only (IPO) list on January 1, 2018, which meant that TKAs could be performed on a hospital outpatient basis. We examined the following: (1) the national rate of adoption of outpatient TKAs over time, (2) how adoption varied across hospitals, and (3) whether adoption of outpatient TKAs has positively or negatively impacted 90-day TKA readmission rates. METHODS: We used national patient-level Medicare Fee-for-Service Part A claims data (100% sample) from January 2017 through June 2019 to look at the quarterly trend in percent of TKAs performed as outpatient, and the distribution in this percentage across hospitals in the country. We ran a case-level regression to understand whether inpatient vs outpatient coding status relates to 90-day readmission rates. RESULTS: In 2017 prior to the removal of TKAs from the IPO list, 0.2% were performed as outpatient. In the first quarter (Q1 2018) after the rule change, 24.9% were performed as outpatient, and by the second quarter of 2019, 36.4% were performed as outpatient. These rates varied widely across hospitals from 0% (10th and 25th percentiles) to 78% (90th percentile) from January 2018 through March 2019. There was no difference in readmission rates for same-day discharges, but outpatient cases discharged after one or more nights in the hospital had statistically lower readmissions than inpatient cases. CONCLUSION: There was a rapid increase in the adoption of hospital outpatient TKAs following their removal from the Medicare IPO, which has resulted in lower readmission rates, and so adoption is likely to continue.

Total Hip Arthroplasty and the Medicare Inpatient-Only List: An Analysis of Complications in Medicare-Aged Patients Undergoing Outpatient Surgery.

BACKGROUND: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has solicited public comments for the 2019 Proposed Rule to remove total hip arthroplasty (THA) from the inpatient-only list. Concerns exist regarding the safety of discharging higher risk Medicare patients as an outpatient and whether hospitals may still be reimbursed for an inpatient procedure. The purpose of this study is to determine whether Medicare-aged patients undergoing outpatient THA have higher complication rates than patients who underwent inpatient THA. We also sought to identify characteristics of Medicare-aged patients that are associated with increased risk of complications or longer stay following short-stay THA. METHODS: We queried the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database for patients over age 65 who underwent primary THA between 2015 and 2016. We compared demographics, comorbidities, and 30-day complication, reoperation, and readmission rates among outpatient, short-stay, and inpatient groups. A multivariate regression analysis identified patients who are at an increased risk for complications and a longer inpatient stay following short-stay THA. RESULTS: Of the 34,416 Medicare-aged patients who underwent THA, 310 (1%) were discharged on postoperative day 0, 5698 (16.5%) on postoperative day 1, and 28,408 (82.5%) were inpatients. The outpatient and short-stay patients had lower 30-day complication and readmission rates than the inpatient group. Independent risk factors for developing a complication or requiring an inpatient stay included general anesthesia, body mass index >35 kg/m2, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, malnutrition, female gender, age >75 years, minority ethnicity, and an American Society of Anesthesiologists score of 4 (all P < .05). CONCLUSION: Outpatient and short-stay THA appears to be safe in a small subset of Medicare-aged patients. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services should allow surgeons flexibility in determining admission status based on each patient's risk profile.

The Unintended Impact of the Removal of Total Knee Arthroplasty From the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Inpatient-Only List.

BACKGROUND: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) was removed from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Inpatient-Only (IPO) list starting January 1, 2018. Many hospitals responded by instructing surgeons to schedule all TKAs as outpatient procedures, and some local Medicare Advantage contractors began to expect outpatient status for all or most TKA cases. This activity and ensuing confusion has caused considerable unintended disruption for surgeons, hospitals, and patients. The purpose of this study was to gauge the impact on providers and patients. METHODS: Active members of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons were sent a 9-question survey asking if the surgeon's hospital was treating all patients undergoing TKA as outpatients and if Medicare Advantage administrators and commercial payers were treating all or most the same. Questions also inquired about the impact on surgeon practices and their patients. RESULTS: Seven hundred thirty members (26%) responded; of which, 59.5% reported that their hospitals have instructed them that all Medicare TKAs should be scheduled as outpatient procedures; 40.5% have been asked to use proscribed documentation to justify that change; 30.4% reported that their patients have incurred added personal cost secondary to their surgical procedure being billed as an outpatient procedure; and 76.1% report that this issue has become an administrative burden. CONCLUSION: The CMS clearly stated its expectation in the 2018 Outpatient Prospective Payment System Final Rule that the great majority of Medicare fee-for-service TKA patients would continue to be treated as inpatients. Nonetheless, many hospitals have decided to schedule all TKA cases as outpatients due to the 2-midnight rule despite a moratorium on recovery audits. It is the position of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons that the CMS needs to provide more specific expectations concerning the needed language justifying admission or exempt TKA from the 2-midnight rule to mitigate the unintended confusion demonstrated by hospitals and some payers that has resulted from the removal of TKA from the Inpatient-Only list.