Medicare program; changes to the hospital inpatient prospective payment systems and fiscal year 2000 rates. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA). Final rule.

We are revising the Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment systems for operating costs and capital-related costs to implement changes arising from our continuing experience with the systems. In addition, in the addendum to this final rule, we describe changes in the amounts and factors necessary to determine rates for Medicare hospital inpatient services for operating costs and capital-related costs. These changes are applicable to discharges occurring on or after October 1, 1999. We also set forth rate-of-increase limits as well as policy changes for hospitals and hospital units excluded from the prospective payment systems. Finally, we are revising certain policies governing payment to hospitals for the direct costs of graduate medical education.