Policy makers have made several attempts to limit hospitals upcoding. We investigate the impact on discharges with and … strategically to it by varying the patients’ length of stay. We show that the policy has been effective in limiting upcoding, since … continue practicing upcoding. Furthermore, we provide evidence that upcoding is greater in private for–profit hospitals, that …

In this paper we analyze the effects of some distortions induced by prospective payment system, i.e. Upcoding, Cream … upcoding have a negative impact on hospitals’ technical efficiency, while readmissions have a positive effect. Moreover, we … ownership differences regarding upcoding. Not–for–profit hospitals have the highest readmission index. Last, not–for–profit and …

providers?upcoding behaviour. Whilst there is usually an outside auditor (e.g from the o¢ ce of inspector general of the …