Under the inpatient prospective payment system, what is required for preadmission services to be covered by the IPPS MS-DRG payment?

The requirement for preadmission services to be covered by the inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) MS-DRG payment is that these services must encompass both diagnostic and therapeutic services that correspond with the inpatient principal diagnosis code. This ensures that the services provided before admission are relevant to the primary reason for the hospitalization, thereby justifying the associated costs under the MS-DRG payment model.

When preadmission services are aligned with the principal diagnosis, they contribute to the overall treatment plan and support the necessity of the inpatient stay. By including both diagnostic and therapeutic services, hospitals can adequately prepare for and address the patient's condition upon admission.

This requirement is integral to ensuring that the IPPS system mitigates unnecessary costs while validating that all components of care lead toward the patient's treatment goals. Services that do not align with the principal diagnosis, whether they are strictly diagnostic or therapeutic, would typically not be covered under this payment system, as they do not demonstrate the same relevance or necessity in addressing the patient's immediate health needs during hospitalization.