Great River Health gets CMS notice

WEST BURLINGTON - Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Centers released information Wednesday about a broken link that led to a formal notice from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requiring corrective action.
According to a copyrighted article in the Des Moines Register on Monday, reporter Lee Rood wrote that four Iowa hospitals, including SEIRMC, owned by Great River Health headquartered in West Burlington, received warnings from the federal government for failing to comply with federal price transparency rules. Rood's article was based on a report from Hospital Watch, a nonprofit hospital watchdog group.
Other health systems including  Community Memorial Hospital, a UnityPoint hospital in Sumner; Loring Hospital in Sac City; and UnityPoint Health's Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, were among more than 500 hospitals across the country the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services warned their price disclosure practices were insufficient.
A release from SEIRMC Wednesday addressed the broken link and how it was discovered.
While Great River Health routinely monitors the functionality of its price transparency tools, CMS conducted its review during the brief period between routine monitoring checks and the link failure being identified. Upon notification, the issue was addressed and corrected immediately, receiving CMS validation.
"Price transparency is an important priority for Great River Health. We are committed to helping patients make informed decisions about their healthcare by providing accessible information about the cost of services, in addition to supporting them with high-quality, safe, and effective care," the released indicated.
"Great River Health remains dedicated to ensuring patients have the information they need throughout their healthcare journey, including access to pricing estimates, financial resources, and clear communication about all aspects of their care." 
A spokesperson for the health system said the issue surfaced during an audit and then an upgrade the following day corrupted the link. The CMS monitoring took place the following day when the notice was issued, and the link was corrected the following day.
Great River Health received a four-star rating from CMS earlier this month for compliance with federal medicare and medicaid systems.
To view the pricing for services at Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center or Henry County Health Center, visit Price transparency | Great River Health.