The Secretary should carefully monitor implementation of the outpatient prospective payment system to ensure that:
* It does not have unintended, adverse consequences on beneficiaries’ access to care,
* It does not compromise the quality of care delivered, and
* The annual reductions in beneficiary coinsurance as a share of total payment are realized.
Assessing the design and impact of the hospital outpatient prospective payment system (D)
June 1, 2000