First few Article Sentences
Since October 2012, Medicare has rewarded hospitals that provide high quality care for their patients through the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program. For the first time, hospitals across the country will be paid for inpatient acute care services based on care quality, not just the quantity of the services they provide. Linking provider payments to improved performance by health care providers, this form of payment holds health care providers accountable for both the cost and the quality of care they provide. It attempts to reduce inappropriate care and to identify and reward the best-performing providers.