The purpose of this Webinar is to discuss the serious reportable errors in healthcare and the implementation of a no charge policy by some hospitals for these serious and adverse events. The National Quality Forum (NQF) endorsed a list of 28 adverse events that are largely preventable. There are 11 states that report these in whole or part as the basis for their state based public reporting. NQF has reported that about half of the states require licensed healthcare providers to report at least some kinds of adverse events related to healthcare. These include retained foreign objects, wrong site surgery, elopement, medication errors, blood reactions, falls, death from air embolism, infant discharge to wrong person, patient suicide and more. There is growing evidence that these efforts have been bringing positive change to the quality of healthcare that is delivered to patients. There are many legislators who are pushing for adoption of these in their states. This has taken on increased interest with a change in the paradigm and the trend of CMS (The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services) to not pay for care related to eight adverse events (and 3 new ones for 2009) and the requirement for documentation of present on admission (POA). A number of states have agreed that their hospitals will not bill for any or some of these adverse events. Many insurance companies are trying to put into the hospital contract that the hospital will not bill for any of the 28 serious reportable adverse events. States like New York have now announced nonpayment for Medicaid patients for the never events. CMS issued a memo on July 31, 2008 to the states encouraging that all the Medicaid programs should refuse to pay for some of the never events. Groups like Leapfrog have hospitals that have agreed not to bill for some of the never events and are posting hospital names. This will affect the bottom line.