A new study suggests that the encouraging results of Medicare’s hospital readmissions reduction program may not actually be as encouraging as people thought.

According to a new study published in the journal Health Affairs, data on reduced readmissions may be more the result of changes in hospital coding practices than improved quality performance by hospitals.

The report suggests that new industry standards for reporting were implemented at roughly the same time Medicare launched the value-based purchasing program and may account for most or even all of the reported improved performance by hospitals.

Learn more from the Health Affairs study “Decreases In Readmissions Credited To Medicare’s Program To Reduce Hospital Readmissions Have Been Overstated.”