Medicare Now Fines Hospitals for Readmitting Patients

That couldn't have any unexpected consequences, could it?

A little known piece of the Affordable Care Act went into effect Monday. It is designed to lower the cost of Medicare to taxpayers.

Hospitals will now face big fines if too many of their patients have to be readmitted because of complications. One of every five Medicare patients ends up back in the hospital within 30 days of being released.

Roughly two-thirds of those receiving Medicare will forfeit money, up to one percent of a hospital's Medicare reimbursements.