TUESDAY, Feb. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Medicare regulations which are unnecessary, obsolete, or excessively burdensome on hospital or health care providers will be reformed, according to a rule proposed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in response to the President's instructions in Executive Order 13563.

To increase the ability of health care professionals to improve patient care by reducing and eliminating requirements that impede or divert resources from patient care, CMS has proposed a rule to reform Medicare regulations identified as unnecessary, obsolete, or excessively burdensome on hospitals or health care providers. Current excessively burdensome regulations to be modified include limitation of radiology services in ambulatory surgical centers, establishing hospital registered dietitian privileges, hospital supervision of radiopharmaceutical preparation during off-hour nuclear medicine tests, and reclassification of swing-bed services.

To be assured consideration, comments must be received no later than 5 p.m., April 8, 2013. Comments can be submitted in the following ways: electronically; by regular, express, or overnight mail; or by hand courier.

"We are committed to cutting the red tape for health care facilities, including rural providers," Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, said in a statement. "By eliminating outdated or overly burdensome requirements, hospitals and health care professionals can focus on treating patients."

Proposed Rule
Press Release