CMS put the 2009 IPPS rule (that's the acute hospital inpatient prospective payment system rule) on display last week, and it will be published in the Federal Register later this month (August 19, if you must know), to be effective October 1. It was released in draft form in May (see HealthBlawg post on the draft 2009 IPPS rule). The final version is described in a series of CMS 2009 IPPS fact sheets on Medicare hospital payment policy changes, more never events, pay for reporting and Stark and hospital ownership disclosure. Gainsharing thoughts in the draft version found another home inthe draft 2009 MPFS regulation.