Boomerang Patients to Penalize Hospitals Under U.S. Law

Tenet Healthcare Corp., the third-largest U.S. hospital chain, keeps an eye on Medicare patients after they’re released. This isn’t just about professional integrity. Tenet has a financial stake in their well-being.

Fines are being levied against hospitals with high rates of patient readmissions under a provision of the Affordable Care Act targeting $8 billion in Medicare cost savings within six years. That has hospitals across the country going the extra mile to prevent the return of these boomerang patients. Tenet gets in touch with former patients after they’ve been released, urging them to keep doctor appointments. It also provides free medicine to some patients who can’t afford prescriptions and contacts pharmacies to make sure pills are ready for pick-up.