(a) OWCP will pay for inpatient medical services according to pre-determined, condition-specific rates based on the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) devised by CMS (42 CFR parts 412, 413, 424, 485, and 489). Using this system, payment is derived by multiplying the diagnosis-related group (DRG) weight assigned to the hospital discharge by the provider-specific factors.

(1) All inpatient hospital discharges will be classified according to the DRGs prescribed by the CMS in the form of the DRG Grouper software program. Each DRG represents the average resources necessary to provide care in a case in that DRG relative to the national average of resources consumed per case.

(2) The provider-specific factors will be provided by CMS in the form of their PPS Pricer software program. The software takes into consideration the type of facility, census division, actual geographic location (MSA) of the hospital, case mix cost per discharge, number of hospital beds, intern/beds ratio, operating cost to charge ratio, and other factors used by CMS to determine the specific rate for a hospital discharge under their PPS. The Director may devise price adjustment factors as appropriate using OWCP's processing experience and internal data.

(3) OWCP will base payments to facilities excluded from CMS' IPPS on consideration of detailed medical reports and other evidence.

(4) The Director shall review the pre-determined hospital rates at least once a year, and may adjust any or all components when he or she deems it necessary or appropriate.

(b) The Director shall review the schedule of fees at least once a year, and may adjust the schedule or any of its components when he or she deems it necessary or appropriate.