Medicare program; changes to the inpatient hospital prospective payment system and fiscal year 1988 rates--HCFA....

We are revising the Medicare inpatient hospital prospective payment system to implement necessary changes arising from legislation and our continuing experience with the system. One of these changes is the inclusion in the prospective payment system of hospitals located in Puerto Rico. In addition, in the addendum to this rule, we describe changes in the methods, amounts, and factors necessary to determine prospective payment rates for Medicare inpatient hospital services. In general, these changes are applicable to discharges occurring on or after October 1, 1987. We also set forth the rate-of-increase limits for hospitals and hospital units excluded from the prospective payment system.