The regulation of outpatient services: an analysis of the interaction between HCFA and Medicare providers.

The Federal Register is used as a historical record documenting the interaction between the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) and health care providers in the regulation of outpatient surgery services to Medicare patients. A content analysis of the Federal Register reveals that HCFA is more likely to accommodate requests for clarification, for shifting services among payment levels, and for adding or deleting services from coverage than for altering payment methods. These findings can be used by health care providers to develop strategies for coping with the expansion of prospective payment to all outpatient services.